Dana White tried to tell Demetrious Johnson that there was a hunter better than he was in his prime.
At the time it was difficult to debate against Demetrious Johnson de Pond-for-Pound best hunter in the world. The legendary flight weight champion broke the record in particular for most title defenses in the UFC history at 11 hours with a flying arm bar of all entries in 2017.
Johnson ruled Long at the top of the pound-for-pound ranks of the UFC until two division champion Daniel Cormier won his second title on heavyweight King Stipe Miocic in 2018.
Not everyone agreed with Johnson as #1 pound-for-pound, especially not UFC boss Dana White.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Demetrious Johnson says that Dana White once told him that Conor McGregor was the best pound-for-pound hunter of the UFC
In conversation with Israel Adesanya, Johnson revealed that White had actually told him that he should not have been the #1 pound-for-pound hunter in 2017.
White's choice instead? Former two -division champion and appreciated superstar Conor McGregor.
“Dana White, I'll never forget,” said Johnson about the UFC boss at young man Ramble.
'We are at a Snoop Dogg concert. It is me, Dana White, we talk. He drinks Bud Light. And I'm just chilling there. And he goes, you know what? You are not the best pound-for-pound hunter in the world.
“And I had something like that, okay. He goes, you know who is? I had something like that, who? He had something like: 'Conor McGregor …
“You know why? Because he would fight against someone … “
“I had something like that, Guy just got f— – what are you talking about?” Johnson said that when McGregor was hit by Floyd Mayweather in August of that year.
“I think he was trying to negotiate and tried to get me up and fight against TJ [Dillashaw]. And I had something like that, oh, just pay me a million dollars …
“But I respect the fact that he told me that in my face,” said Johnson about White's comments.
'I prefer someone to tell me the honest truth about me, how they feel about me in front of my face, instead of giving me flowers in front of my face [and] Talk s – behind your back. “
Conor McGregor rose to #2 in Pound-for-Pound ranks in 2016
McGregor peaked in 2016 when he eliminated Eddie Alvarez in the main event of UFC 205.
In less than 12 months, McGregor had victories in featherweight, lightweight and welterweight, and the Irishman approached the top of the pound-for-pound ranks when he was held the first hunter in the history of UFC those belts in two weight classes at the same time.
After achieving the performance against Alvarez, McGregor was ranked as high as #2 pound-for-pounds.
The only hunter that McGregor followed was the largest flying weight of all time Demetrious Johnson, who defended his title a month later a month later.