Athletes
Charles Johnson | The Perfect Storm
Ranked Flyweight Counting Down The Days Until UFC 324
Charles Johnson is the last person to defeat current flyweight champion Joshua Van, knocking out the Houston-based titleholder in the third round back in the summer of 2024. So, when “The Fearless” ascended to the top of the division back in December, everybody around Johnson was hyped and trying to fire up their guy, doing the connect-the-dots thing everyone does when someone you’ve beaten in the past has a moment in the spotlight.
But the 35-year-old wasn’t feeling the same kind of way as everybody else.
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“Honestly, everybody around me was excited, like ‘Yo — you’re next!’ and I was just kind of like, ‘Whatever; it has nothing to do with me,’” Johnson said in advance of his fight against Alex Perez at UFC 324. “I have to win two, three fights. I have to go focus on my next fight and continue to repeat what I just did. The promotion has these other great stars in it that are having great fights, so I’ve gotta keep showing them how great I am.
“Just because I beat him a year-and-a-half ago, that don’t f****** matter… There’s still (Alexandre) Pantoja, there’s still (Brandon) Moreno, there’s still (Brandon) Royval, there’s still (Manel) Kape, there’s still (Tatsuro) Taira, there’s (Kyoji) Horiguchi now. I want all of them. I want every single one of them. Alex Perez is first, and it’s a very important milestone for me.”
Charles Johnson Knocks Out Van | UFC Denver
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Charles Johnson Knocks Out Van | UFC Denver
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His forthcoming flyweight pairing carries significant weight for Johnson for multiple reasons.
First and foremost, it’s a chance to compete on the first card of the year, the first of the Paramount+ era, and marks the first time in 13 UFC appearances that he’ll compete on a numbered event, which also means it’s the first time he’s fought at T-Mobile Arena. Secondly, it’s a matchup against a former title challenger and tenured member of the Top 15.
Lastly, it’s a move in the right direction in terms of opposition as Johnson has spent the majority of his time with the promotion facing newcomers with upside.
“Everything happens for a reason, right?” he asked with a smirk. “I am the best version of myself I have ever been right now. I’m super-confident anywhere the fight goes, so it feels amazing to have this opportunity to fight on the first Paramount+ card, in Las Vegas, at the T-Mobile Arena. I fought six, seven times at the APEX and finally, after driving past this m*****f***** arena so many times, I get to be in there, fighting in front of the best fans in all of sports.”
For the sake of keeping the record correct, Johnson has fought at the APEX eight times.
“I liken him to Cody Durden,” he said of Perez, who currently sits at No. 11 in the flyweight rankings suffered a submission loss to Asu Almabayev at UFC 322. “He’s had a lot of success in this promotion, fought a lot of guys, and I didn’t beat Cody… I just know the fighter I was then and the fighter I am now, there is no reason for me to not go out here and handle business against him and show that I can get over that experienced fighter with championship mettle, who has fought for the belt.
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“I’m excited about that because people can write him off, but his resume shows that he’s elite and for me, that’s the biggest thing. It’s gonna be a huge confidence boost for me. It’s that next step.”
The fight with Perez comes on the heels of what was a breakout performance for Johnson in Shanghai last August, where he finished then-unbeaten British prospect Lone’er Kavanagh.
Charles Johnson Lands Statement KO Victory Over Lone’er Kavanagh | UFC Shanghai
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Charles Johnson Lands Statement KO Victory Over Lone’er Kavanagh | UFC Shanghai
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From the outset, “Inner G” was the better of the two men, flashing crisp boxing and excellent timing as he picked apart and eventually put away Kavanagh, which earned him a Performance Bonus.
“Everything I felt leading up to that from watching his fights, doing film study, I was like, ‘He may have moments, but when we settle in and it’s time to fight, I’m gonna shine,” he said. “It may take three minutes, five minutes, seven minutes, but when the fight takes place, I know what I’m gonna do… My goal was to enjoy every aspect of that trip to Shanghai — I had never been to China — and embrace those fans and every part of this journey.
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“I’m so thankful for the Shanghai fight because he was being touted as one of the best prospects in all of MMA. He was being touted as this next whatever they wanted to crown him to be, and it was another opportunity for me to shut everybody the f*** up again! I’ve always had this chip on my shoulder from when I was a kid of having to prove myself to people and I’m happy for having to do that in the UFC until now because I’m gonna carry that with me the rest of my career.”
Since arriving on the biggest stage in the sport in 2022, Johnson has always been a little prickly when it comes to his place in the division, the way he’s perceived, and the opportunities he’s been given. Those things have been in constant opposition to the way he sees himself, the heights he believes he’s capable of reaching, and the type of matchups he’s chasing.
It’s not uncommon in sports — or any number of ventures, honestly — but it’s also something that can hold you back as much as it can propel you forward. Wanting better, wanting more, and expecting more of yourself are good things, but it’s all about the angle of approach, and for the last couple of years, Johnson was coming at things the wrong way.
He’s since recognized that and switched things up, which is part of why he’s so eager to get to Las Vegas, stand opposite Perez, and get the chance to show people how great he can be once again.
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“I don’t like my position, where I am,” Johnson said. “I don’t like where my career is, but I know what I need to do and I’m excited for the opportunities that are now being granted to me, and I’ve got to continue to show what I’m doing… I had to look myself in the mirror, man. ‘You lost three fights in 2023 to guys that you feel you’re better than, but you lost on those nights, and you’ve got to figure out how to perform when it’s time. No matter what happens, there can’t be an excuse.’
“I think about that s*** all the time, and I’m so thankful and excited (for what’s to come).”
The Kavanagh win was an eye-opener for some and a reminder of how dangerous the former LFA titleholder can be when he’s locked in and fighting to the best of his abilities.
That bout also served as a catalyst for Johnson to amend his “Three Ps” approach and add a fourth into the equation: performance.
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“Prayer, positivity and perseverance — I’ve been talking about it to y’all for the longest — but when it comes to competing, that performance is all that matters on fight night,” Johnson explained. “You can be great in the gym for seven weeks, but you’ve gotta show up on fight night… Nobody will ever see those wins in the gym. They’ll only see those 15 minutes you have, so I’m just chomping at the bit, focused on getting my body ready to perform when it’s time to.”
In a couple of weeks, Johnson will finally make that walk at T-Mobile Arena in front of a packed house as part of a star-studded card, and look across the Octagon at Perez. And whether it means something to him or not, he is the last person to beat the current champion, and Van has already spoken about wanting to get that one back, in due time, of course.
It’s the kind of fight Johnson has been clamoring for throughout his UFC tenure, and a win could unlock a new world of opportunities for him in 2026.
“(It’s gonna mean) everything, man; I could cry right now because I’m so emotional about it,” he said of beating Perez. “My heart is heavy all the time because I love this sport, I train extremely hard, and I’ve had to take the harder route in everything I’ve ever done. Some of it is on me because I’ve lost fights, but it’s gonna mean everything to go out here, stand across from Alex Perez, who is a great fighter, and show him that I am the best right now.
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“I’m gonna be the best in this promotion, in this weight class for some time — I feel it — and this opportunity is a chance for me to show myself and everyone else that I’m not just a ‘Prospect Killer,’ it’s an ‘Everybody Killer.’
“Whoever’s name is on that contract, I’m coming,” he added. “I’m excited, man; it’s a perfect storm right now.”
UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 24, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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