UFC lightweight top 10 contender Michael Johnson has announced that he’s dropping down to featherweight and has targeted a big name opponent for his first fight in his new weight class.
“Jose Aldo, he’s looking to get out of his contract,” Johnson told fans at a Q&A in Rotterdam yesterday ahead of UFC Fight Night 115. “He’s a great champion so I would love to go down to 145 and fight him. Anytime, anywhere.
“I’m hoping in December I’ll go down to Brazil and fight him. I just love good, exciting fights and he’s a guy that I would love to get in there with.”
The 31-year-old Johnson is currently holding down the No.9 spot in the 155lb division, but his recent form has not been flattering, recording four defeats in his last five fights.
That includes losses to Beneil Dariush, Nate Diaz, Khabib Nurmagomedov and most recently Justin Gaethje, with his solitary victory being a KO win over Dustin Poirier.
‘The Menace’ has other big name victories during the course of his 17-12 career though, including a four-fight winning streak between 2013-2015 in which he defeated Joe Lauzon, Gleison Tibau, Melvin Guillard and Edson Barboza.
Nevertheless, his next target, Aldo is currently rooted to the No.1 contender spot at 145lbs, so it would be a big ask for Johnson to come off a couple of losses and then immediately move to the top of the featherweight queue.
