Even if you’re not the type to scour the internet for regional MMA content, you’ve still likely heard the name Jose Johnson. Johnson was on Contender Series back in 2020 in a failed bid to get a contract against Ronnie Lawrence. He then went 1-1 over a couple of opportunities on Dana White’s Looking for a Fight through Fury FC – the latter of which he submitted a tough Mo Miller. Another win on the regional scene earned him a second shot on Contender Series in 2022.
It was that second shot that finally did it for Johnson. Although relieved to make it to the apex of the sport, it’s not lost on Johnson how much he’s been through. In a ten-year career, the last three have been a grind of near misses. He credits his family for getting him through it.
“Oh man, where do I even begin as far as that?” Johnson started. “It was my family. It was my kids that kept me going. I wanted them to have a life that I never had, so it was time to buckle down and get my shit together.”
That buckling down had little to do with his training. He had always taken his training seriously and always been a skilled fighter. What Johnson needed was a renewed mental focus to help him get over that hump.
“I’ve always had the tools to make it. I’ve always had the talent to make it – clearly based on the countless opportunities I’ve been given, but it was moreso mentally I had to know that,” he shared. “I had to remember where I came from. I had to remember how hard I worked over the last 10 years to get to this point.”
Now with all the stars aligned, Johnson looks to make his UFC debut this weekend against Garrett Armfield. Johnson would be crazy to lose focus at this point or to overlook someone who’s been down the same road as him, but the experiences have left him as confident as ever.
“It’s a tough fight. Respect to him – he made it there just like me,” Johnson said. “But honestly, I just see a masterpiece. That’s it.”
That fight with Armfield will be part of the preliminary card of UFC Vegas 70 on ESPN+. The fights get started at 4pm EST this Saturday.
You can hear the entire audio of this interview at 33:35.
