Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen clarified at a recent press conference that he has never claimed to be the best middleweight in the world, stating that while he believes he is one of the best, he is more focused on becoming one of the greatest fighters across all weight classes.
At a recent PFL vs. Bellator press conference, Johnny Eblen had a moment. A reporter quoted him as saying he was the world’s best middleweight. Eblen, however, quickly set the record straight. He’d never made such a claim.
In a world of MMA fighters who brag about being the best, Eblen’s stance is unique. He’s the reigning Bellator middleweight champion, but he’s not about to declare himself the best. Why? Well, as he told MMA Fighting, it’s not that simple.
“Some days, I feel like I am [the best]. Other days, I don’t,” Eblen said. “Doesn’t really matter, though. What matters is what the people around me believe. And there are days when I believe it too. But there are also days when I don’t. It’s just life.”
Eblen’s honesty is a breath of fresh air. But don’t get it twisted. He’s got confidence. He knows he can hold his own against any 185-pounder in the world.
He’s not shouting from the rooftops that he’s the best middleweight. But he knows he’s up there. And that’s all that matters to him.
“I’ve always said I feel like I’m one of the best, if not the best,” Eblen admitted. “I’m not certain about anything. But I like my odds against anyone in the middleweight division. Forget all that, though. I’m aiming to be the GOAT. Who cares if I’m the best middleweight?”
Eblen’s focus isn’t on his legacy just yet. He’s in the prime of his career, after all. “I’ll think about my impact on the sport when I’m done,” he said. “For now, I’m just here to fight and get paid. That’s all that matters to me.”
Eblen, set to face PFL light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay this Saturday, is aware of the perception. If you’re not in the UFC, you can’t be the best. The UFC is the biggest promotion, and it’s home to most of the top talent. But that doesn’t mean they have the best in every division.
That’s why Eblen isn’t worried about his standing in the middleweight class. It doesn’t matter until he gets to face the best from all promotions. “It’s hard for me to just state it,” Eblen confessed. “I’m stuck in a contract. Those fights can’t happen. I like my odds, but until I beat them all, I can’t say it for sure.”
“I say I’m one of the best, if not the best, because I don’t know,” he continued. “I won’t know until I fight them all. Once I do, then I can say, ‘I was the best in the world.'”
Eblen appreciates those who already call him the best middleweight in MMA. But he has bigger goals. He wants to be known as one of the best fighters across all weight classes. Until that happens, he’s not losing sleep over his ranking at 185 pounds.
“Forget all this middleweight talk,” Eblen declared. “I want to be one of the best, pound-for-pound.”