Wilson Reis will be challenging UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson for the gold at UFC On Fox 24.
Reis plans on leaving the event as the new UFC Flyweight Champion and he has the game plan to get the job done.
“I’m a well rounded fighter,” Reis told MMA Junkie. “I’ve evolved a lot in my striking, in my wrestling, and now I’m quite focused on my ground-and-pound in order to be a complete fighter, and to fight well at every area of MMA. But I think the best of my game is the pressure I put on my opponents. I’m always looking for the fight and for the finish, I’m always moving forward. And that’s how this fight is going to be. I’m going to dominate the center of the octagon, and I’m going to control Demetrious Johnson. I’m going to make him walk backward. That will be the strategy for the win.”
If Reis does pull off the upset, the Brazilian would be the first fight since former UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz to defeat Johnson.
While Reis does plan on leaving with the gold, the fighter does have a lot of respect for the champion.
“I believe that Demetrious Johnson is a great fighter,” Reis said. “He is very creative in his striking, in his wrestling, in his movement. He has great footwork. I think there are weak spots in his game, but he’s evolved a lot since. For instance, his last loss, to my training partner (ex-bantamweight champ) Dominick Cruz (in 2011, at UFC Live 6). I think he came a long way, his game is much more well-rounded now. In the fight against Tim Elliot, I think he did very well. Elliot surprised in the striking, with a more creative, different style, so (Johnson) had to win using his wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He showed he had that. I think, if I took any lessons from that fight, it was only good things – that he has a more complete jiu-jitsu game. I thought his jiu-jitsu wasn’t that good, but his jiu-jitsu is very good.”
UFC On Fox 24 takes place on Saturday, April 15 from the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri with Demetrious Johnson and Wilson Reis headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
