"That is my first love" - Was NBA player James Johnson a mixed martial artist?

Before entering the National Basketball Association (NBA), Brooklyn Nets star James Johnson was an unbeaten MMA fighter.

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The powerful Brooklyn Nets striker James Johnson has spent the last 13 years playing in the NBA. However, he was an awesome MMA fighter with seven MMA matches to his name and an unbeaten 20-0 record in kickboxing before that.

Johnson has a second level black belt in martial arts. He won his first MMA fight at the age of 18, reportedly dominating and eliminating his opponent in 97 seconds. He received the ‘Little Ali’ award for his outstanding footwork during battles similar to those of the late Muhammad Ali.

The love of MMA runs in the blood of the Johnson family. In fact, her parents and siblings have black belts in mixed martial arts.

Throughout his NBA career, Johnson was often questioned about his MMA background. He was often asked questions to explain how they relate to basketball.

According to the 6-foot-7 front, basketball fights are almost the same. For Johnson, the only difference is that MMA is a game and basketball is a team game.

At a press conference in Dallas Mavericks in 2020, he said:

“In combat, you always train that one person and it was just you against him. But in basketball, it’s a team game, so you have to do what you need to do. But when I got on the field or in the MMA game I felt the same way. ”

Watch Johnson’s full interview below:

James Johnson is set to join the UFC after his NBA career

James Johnson is 35 years old and is currently playing his 14th season in the NBA. Although he has been playing for about 20 minutes each time so far, ‘Blood-Sport‘ knows basketball is a boys’ sport.

When asked if he could be released to test UFC work if Dana White was driving, Johnson said he would be very happy to return to “his first love.” In an interview with Fanatics View in 2019, he said:

“I have been fighting all my life… That is my first love, my first love. I would love that [fighting for the UFC after my NBA career]. The fighter’s mind, the fighter’s heart doesn’t go away. I still see guys right now trying to kick, [like] Chuck Liddell, [Anderson] Silva. You have guys who can escape the game. “