"He's not an ordinary man" - UFC flyweight Tim Elliott talks about Demetrious Johnson's legacy ahead of fight against Matheus Nicolau

Veteran flyweight Tim Elliott is among the many who have tried to dethrone Demetrious Johnson, but to no avail.

Years after their 2016 battle, Elliott is still in awe at what Johnson accomplished during his seven-year UFC tenure. In an interview with Sportskeeda MMA's Andrew Whitelaw, Elliott said:

"He [Johnson] paved the way for us guys. Hopefully, he made a fair share of money and I'm sure that he's doing okay and his legacy stands tall, no matter what. Popularity or not, you can't deny his success. I mean, obviously, I fought five rounds with the guy and he's something special. He's not an ordinary man, that guy."

'Mighty Mouse' left the UFC three years ago and now calls ONE Championship his home. Regarded by many as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, Johnson boasts an astounding 12 title victories on his resume.

Meanwhile, Elliott will be in action in the upcoming UFC Fight Night 194 on Saturday. He'll take on young upstart Matheus Nicolau in his second octagon appearance of the year.

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Tim Elliott believes Brandon Moreno has Deiveson Figueiredo's number

Tim Elliott hasn't been in the championship conversation for years now. However, the 34-year-old revealed that he still watches his division's top contenders closely.

Elliott also shared his thoughts about a potential trilogy bout between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno. Tim Elliott, who is no stranger to the former champion, believes Figueiredo doesn't have what it takes to reclaim the title from Moreno. He explained:

"I just don't see (Deiveson) Figueiredo being able to make the adjustments to catch up to Brandon (Moreno). I saw Brandon making big improvements since leaving Tijuana and being in Vegas full time. I don't think Figueiredo can make those adjustments from where he's at. I think he would have to make some big moves to make those kinds of adjustments to catch up to Brandon."

Elliott fought Figueiredo at UFC Fight Night 161 two years ago. Although he put up a valiant effort, he ultimately succumbed to the Brazilian via submission.

Check out our exclusive interview with UFC flyweight Tim Elliott below:

Note to Indian viewers:

Watch UFC Fight Night - Dern vs. Rodriguez on 10th October 2021, LIVE on SONY TEN 1 (English) and SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) channels from 1:30 AM IST.