Michael Johnson (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

In advance of his Octagon debut this Friday at the TUF 25 Finale, Justin Gaethje reportedly proclaimed he’s the “King of Violence”, but the man who will face him disagrees.

Gaethje will battle Michael Johnson in the July 7th card’s headliner, and recently the latter had this to say about the former WSOF champ (quotes via UFC.com):

“He’s gonna wrestle, wrestle, wrestle, all day every day,” Johnson reportedly said while laughing. “I know exactly what he’s gonna do. He’s gonna say he’s gonna come in there and bang, but I think as soon as we start throwing some punches and getting in there that the game plan’s gonna change dramatically. I hope he bangs. But if he’s coming in there trying to wrestle, that’s all fine with me as well. He isn’t the first wrestler I’ve fought, and he damn sure won’t be the last.”

“I hope I see the self-proclaimed ‘King of Violence,’” Johnson added. “It sounded kind of cliché at the press conference, but I do truly believe that I’m the most violent fighter in this division. Not only with the way I fight, but my mindset going into these fights and how I look at the game now.”

Gaethje has gone 17-0 to date in pro-MMA bouts, and has stopped four straight opponents. Johnson (17-11), meanwhile, is looking to rebound from a submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov. The veteran fighter is 2-3 in his last 5 bouts.