Six-foot all Jose Johnson makes the move to flyweight for UFC Vegas 93, successfully making 125lbs for the fight time at the event’s official weigh-in on Friday. Here’s a little look at his weight cutting history, and the sort of obstacles he had to overcome to successfully move down.
Jose “Lobo Solitario” Johnson (16-8 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
*Flyweight(125lbs.): UFC/Career Debut
Bantamweight(135lbs.): 1-1 (UFC), 1-1 (CS), 1-1 (LFAF), 6-3 (MMA)
Featherweight(145lbs.): 5-1 (MMA)
Lightweight(155lbs.): 1-1 (MMA)
Jose stands at 6’0″ with a 71.5″ reach. A frame that wouldn’t be out of place in the UFC’s 155lbs division. Johnson, a high paced, Muay Thai striker, is set to make his debut at flyweight on UFC Vegas 93 on June 15 opposite of Asu Almabaev. Jose’s opponent stands at just 5’4″ with a 65″ reach for comparison.
Jose Johnson debuted in pro MMA at 145lbs in 2016. ‘Lobo Solitario’ would lose his debut and the following fight in the lightweight division before claiming his first win in the following fight back at 145lbs.
All of Jose’s fights that have anything to do with the UFC were at bantamweight (including his Lookin’ for a Fight and Contender Series appearances). Johnson fought on the 2020 season of the Contender Series, losing a unanimous decision to Ronnie Lawrence. After an early 2021 unanimous decision victory, Jose was finished in just over 30 seconds by Mana Martinez on Fury FC 46: Lookin’ For a Fight. Johnson bounced back, taking just two rounds to submit undefeated fighter, Mo Miller, on Fury FC 53: Lookin’ For a Fight. After another quick stoppage, Johnson fought on the 2022 season of the Contender Series where he defeated Jack Cartwright in a blisteringly paced, unanimous decision.
Jose is 1-1 with the UFC. ‘Lobo Solitario’ was caught in a twister in his short notice debut against Da’Mon Blackshear last August. Johnson was victorious in his last fight, scoring an aggressive submission stoppage against Chad Anheliger in the last seconds of their fight in November.
In a recent interview on Top Turtle Podcast Episode 433, with Daniel Vreeland of Cageside Press, Jose Johnson spoke on why he wasn’t worried about moving down, “Ever since like working with the UFC, I’ve really have gotten my, – I don’t know, I’d guess you’d say my weight together-I was always a… bigger 135er, I’ve even competed at 145lbs. and 155lbs.” Johnson revealed.
“But I cut a lot of things out of my life, and it was just easier for me to get that weight down.” Johnson, who turned 29 years old last month continued, saying, “And working with those guys (UFC Performance Institute) and they’re sending me meals and (I’m) taking supplements and stuff now like… It just made, for my body, (it) a lot easier to come down.” Johnson said. The Michigan-born fighter also reported he didn’t feel “depleted or anything like that” during his recent weight cut and felt like he could cut even more weight.
“I have done 125 before in the past, when I was younger, and I wasn’t in shape like how I am now.”
Johnson had four fights at 125lbs as an amateur, going 2-2, and losing to current UFC fighters Charles Johnson and Carlos Hernandez. All of those fights were in 2015. Jose boasted both an impressive and active amateur career, amassing a 24-13 record spanning from 2013 to 2016.
“Why not make history and be the biggest 125er ever recorded? Especially if I can make a certain weight the next day?”
Johnson will be a fighter to watch on the scale. And his wrestler vs. striker matchup against Asu Almabaev, who enters the fight with a 19-2 record, will be action packed bout for fans to tune into on Saturday at UFC Vegas 93.
