Athletes
Drew Dober | Banger After Banger
Lightweight Veteran Prides Himself On Delivering Excitement Every Time He Steps Into The Octagon, And Says His Fight At UFC 326 Will Be No Exception
Win or lose, few fighters in the UFC deliver the action quite like Drew Dober, and the Octagon veteran plans on delivering another pulsating fight when he takes on fellow lightweight stalwart Michael Johnson at UFC 326.
When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that Dober and Johnson haven't crossed paths in the Octagon before. They've both fought 43 times in their respective careers, with Dober competing 26 times in the UFC and Johnson making the walk to the Octagon on 31 occasions. Yet, their meeting on Saturday night at UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2 will be their first in a competitive setting.
Watch Every UFC Event On Paramount+
When we asked Dober how the pair hadn't faced off previously, he laughed, "I was gonna ask the same thing!
"Him and I talked about it too. It's kind of outrageous that we haven't fought, but it's finally happening, and we're both eager and super excited about it.
"It was about time. I mean, he's available, I'm available. It worked out. And, man, it's gonna be exciting."
Dober being amped for a fight is nothing new. There are few fighters in the UFC who seem to approach their fights with the same enthusiasm, regardless of opponent, location or recent form. But, with both men coming into the weekend off a win, Dober finds himself even more excited for this fight than most.
Preview Every Matchup At UFC 326
"The stars lined up," he explained.
"I mean, on Paramount, being on the main card with Oliveira and Holloway, against a talented Michael Johnson – this is fantastic. And this is why I fight. This is why I show up. And, man, I'm just on cloud nine and enjoying every moment of this process. And come Saturday, we're about to get bloody!"
As well as being a mouthwatering matchup between two veterans who love nothing better than to throw down in a stand-up scrap, this fight is also a great advert for longevity in a sport that can so often chew you up if you're not fully committed to it.
For Dober, it's been a simple job of making sure he's in peak condition, year-round.
"For me, it's about treating my body with respect outside of the cage," he explained.
FOLLOW @UFCNEWS: On Facebook | On Instagram | On X | On Threads
"But man, I'm finally fighting a dude that's not only been in the UFC longer, but has a better resume. This is really exciting for me. I love this. We're gonna still kick it as long as we can."
The pair have been fighting in the UFC for well over a decade, and have seen the growth and evolution of the UFC in that time. Now, as one of the lightweight division's longest-tenured competitors, Dober finds it rewarding to see how far the sport has come, and he continues to relish the opportunity to share the Octagon with fighters young and old, and deliver fun fights for the fans.
"We opened up the amusement park," Dober exclaimed.
"And I just love the people I get to meet, the moments I get to create, the memories I'm creating as well. I love all of this, and I'm going to keep doing this until I die."
Despite being at the veteran stage of his career, the 37-year-old says he's still finding ways to get better as a fighter, and he's looking forward to showcasing the latest iteration of his skillset when he takes on Johnson Saturday night.
Watch Every Episode Of UFC 326 Embedded
"For me, fighting is the constant search of self-improvement, and so we've improved since the last fight," he explained. "We've made some big changes.
"I've just been enjoying my family life, enjoying my daughter and just enjoying life in general, and treating every fight like it could be your last.
"And that's why I'm here with a big smile, enjoying my opportunity with Michael Johnson, and I'm going to continue enjoy it. And come Saturday, not only am I going to enjoy it, but everyone else [will], as well."
A tough run of results through 2024 and 2025 saw him lose three straight to Renato Moicano, Jean Silva and Manuel Torres, leading some to question whether Dober's time on the big stage might be coming to an end. But, after a come-from-behind stoppage victory over Kyle Prepolec last time out, Dober arrived to UFC 326 fight week looking revitalized as he prepares to bite down on his mouthpiece and trade shots once again.
RELATED: Hear What Michael Johnson Had To Say Ahead Of Their Matchup
"My body feels great," he said. "I think I'm aging extremely well."
"My performances speak for themselves. I don't see an end in sight, so I'm just going to keep doing more, as much as I can. And when it's over, it'll be over, but it's not anytime soon.
"Hopefully Michael doesn't punch me super hard and I can actually make it out without injury so I can get back in there as soon as possible. I heard they were creating some fun cards for the summer, so let's just focus on Saturday and then hopefully make it out unscathed so we can do it again."
And the man who has more knockout wins than any lightweight in UFC history said he's ready to contend for his ninth post-fight bonus as he prepares for a matchup that, on paper, has Fight of the Night potential.
"Just tune in," insisted Dober.
"I'll step in the Octagon, and you're going to enjoy it, without a doubt. I love entertaining the old fans, the new fans, and then creating new fans. And yeah, so this is just gonna be a standard Drew Dober fight that everyone's gonna enjoy.
"I think Michael Johnson and I carry that old school mentality of like, we're going to put our best foot forward [and] we're going to sling some hands.
"We're going to not only entertain ourselves, but each other, and the fans. And this is exactly what the UFC pays for and what the fans pay for. Michael and I both know what we're bringing, and it's going to be fireworks, no question about it."
Tags