UFC Flyweight king Demetrious Johnson remains unconcerned with pound-for-pound rankings. 

For years, Johnson told anyone that would listen he paid no mind to this growing feeling throughout the MMA community, and he's holding true to that feeling.

After his ninth consecutive flyweight title defense, however, the case is becoming more and more undeniable. The argument on his behalf is made even stronger when his stats are coupled with the continuing issues facing former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, the fall of former UFC featherweight king Jose Aldo and the injury-prone history of UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz. Although Johnson recognizes the growing sentiment, he still gives the mythical title no mental space.

"I still pay no attention to it," Johnson said. "It's awesome that people think that of me. I focus on putting on good fights and staying healthy. That's more important. If I stay healthy and put on good fights, that other stuff will come. Those accolades will continue to come and eventually be set in stone."

His most recent title defense came Dec. 3 at the ​The Ultimate Fighter  24 Finale. Johnson showed true warrior spirit and a champion's heart as he battled thorough a taxing opening round to eventually score a unanimous decision victory over the gritty Tim Elliott.

"It was another tough fight," Johnson said. "I love having tough fights against gritty opponents. You take something from each fight every time you go in there. Tim brought a tough fight. I learned a lot from it.


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"When you are in the midst of battle, you feel like you did a lot worse that you did. I wanted to finish the fight. After the fight, I went home and watched it and thought I controlled him a lot on the ground. You take away that three minutes in the first round, it was all DJ. Twenty two out of 25 minutes in my court sounds good to me."

This particular season of the long-running reality show was an entirely different animal.

The UFC literally created an entire season of the show in order to find Johnson some competition. Flyweight champions were recruited from various organizations around the globe to advance through the tournament format, with the winner receiving an immediate crack at the man himself. It had to be done. Johnson had cleared out the division, even dispatching some of the same opponents in different ways on numerous occasions.  

"It was a good experience," Johnson said. "I was on set the very first day of taping and then again at the end of the season. I watched some of the episodes but I didn't watch all of them. I watched a few, but I'm a busy man."

The first inquiry of any fighter after a victory centers on who or what is next. Johnson sits atop the mountain with nine consecutive title defenses, one short of Anderson Silva's record of 10.

That is an important milestone to the champ and one he feels fully confident in tying and eventually breaking. There is the thought of a Joseph Benavidez trilogy throwdown. Fans and media members alike always clamor for a potential super fight with Dominick Cruz. As far as Johnson is concerned, first thing is first.

He is in the process of rehabbing a mild leg injury and intends to spend some quality time with his family over the holidays.

"The injury is healing," Johnson said. "It was a muscle on my calf. I am not even thinking about mixed martial arts. I am thinking about getting healthy and letting this thing heal. That's all that matters right now. I don't care what's next. I'm really not focused on what other people want. I am focused on spending time with my wife, my kids and just enjoying myself." 

Johnson landed in Sin City earlier in the week to witness Friday night's UFC 207 event firsthand. The showcase fight features the highly anticipated comeback of former UFC women's bantamweight champion and cultural icon Ronda Rousey.

Rousey made waves recently with her demands to limit and nearly eliminate media accessibility in the lead up to the fight. That fact, combined with former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks' dry-mouthed media outburst this week about unrealistic media obligations, has created something of a paradigm shift in the idea of access to fighters in the days and weeks leading up to events.

Johnson can relate to this frustration. The high-energy Mighty Mouse runs circles around his opponents in the Octagon but would choose to run away from the overwhelming and sometimes untimely media obligations in the all-important days leading up to fight night.  

"I came to see Ronda fight, not do interviews," Johnson said. "That's just how she's rolling right now. The last thing you want to do during fight week is all this media stuff and interviews. One, you are on a diet. Two, you are drinking lots of water. You don't want to sit around and talk about fighting the whole time. They should have done this a week or two before.

"You are trying to get those last pay-per-view buys. I understand it, but something needs to change."