Geje Eustaquio knows retirement is a juncture that he will have to face at some point in his prizefighting career.
But before he takes his final bow as a competitor, the 33-year-old Baguio City native wishes to share the cage with the man regarded by most fans and experts as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time – Demetrious Johnson.
“If you’re going to ask me who I want to face next, I would like to test myself against the legendary Demetrious Johnson. Understanding the time I have left in my career, I hope I will be given the opportunity to compete with one of the best athletes to ever grace our beloved sport,” Eustaquio said.
“I will definitely regret it if I don’t get to face him in this lifetime.”
The thought of squaring off against a pound-for-pound enigma like “Mighty Mouse” projects a daunting image to observers on the outside looking in. But Eustaquio feels that his skill level isn’t too far behind the American’s unparalleled athleticism and brilliant fight IQ.
(C) ONEFC.com
“I don’t think that there’s a wide gap in terms of skill set. What sets him (Johnson) apart is his fight IQ, it’s high level. But with proper preparation, I believe that it’s not impossible in this kind of competition. I’m confident that I can hang on with his wrestling and with his jiu-jitsu, as well as with his athleticism,” he stressed.
“I believe I am still young, younger than him. I possess greater potential than he has at this point. Demetrious Johnson is a fighter who keeps on reinventing himself. ‘DJ’ has a lot of surprises to offer every time he competes,” the former ONE flyweight champion added.
“If given the chance that I get to face him, I will really study him down to the last detail and look for that hole. In mixed martial arts, there’s always a hole. It’s just that you need to invest time and effort to figure it out.”
So far, it has been a banner year for Johnson, who began his 2022 campaign by defeating Thai striker Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a hybrid MMA-Muay Thai exhibition last March before he took the ONE flyweight title from Brazilian rival Adriano Moraes in their highly-anticipated rematch this past August.
Meanwhile, Eustaquio is scheduled to make his return to action following a two-year hiatus. He will figure in a three-round encounter against China’s Hu Yong at ONE 164, set for December 3rd at the 20,000-seater SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila.
“I’m very excited. I really miss the feeling of competition,” he stated. “I’m very happy they (ONE Championship) announced that I will be competing in front of my fellow countrymen. Actually, I’m doubling my training.”
Despite coming off a long break, “Gravity” is eager to prove that he still belongs at the elite level of the promotion’s talent-laden flyweight division.
Moreover, Eustaquio believes that claiming the victory over Hu is a step in the right direction to claim a spot in the flyweight Top Five and move closer to his dream match-up versus Johnson.
“From where I look at it right now, I’ve won two-straight bouts, and if I’m going to pass this test, it’s going to be three-straight wins. I hope it’s good enough for me to break into the rankings and eventually get a world title shot,” he ended.
