One to Watch at UFC London: Charles Johnson

Charles Johnson (11-2) is the LFA Flyweight champion now making a debut against one of the top prospects UFC has to offer. “InnerG” rides a four-fight win streak into the octagon at the O2 Arena. It’s on the prelims of a stacked fight night card and this one will be a sure-fire barnburner.

The 31-year-old was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1991. His family has a military background, raised by two marines and he credits a structured household with keeping him off the street and on the track instead. “InnerG” first found cross country running as a passion and was a medal holder in the steeplechase in junior college. He began wrestling in high school but earned and lost a scholarship to Arkansas Pine Bluff. He switched course when an old wrestling teammate told him about MMA and was hooked from the start.

Along his martial arts journey, Charles ventures all over the World for training but still stays true to his roots, rocking a St. Louis Cardinals jersey regularly. He won a scholarship to join Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand alongside numerous UFC fighters. Upon returning to the US, UFC Middleweight Joaquin Buckley recruited him to emerging camp Murcielago MMA in Lansing, Michigan.

Now heading to Europe, Johnson is still bringing that “Murcie pressure” and he looks for five in a row versus Muhammad “The Punisher” Mokaev. He’s only 21 but a top prospect who has never lost dating back to amateur (28-0). It’s quite the tough test for Charles Johnson in a debut but he’s a talented fighter who will last long in the octagon and it all starts at UFC London: Blaydes vs. Aspinall on 7/23.