Charles Johnson Can't Wait for 'Asu' vs. 'Brandon': Lock Up Your Chains and Expect a Showstopper!

LAS VEGAS – Charles Johnson has a couple of different fights – and vastly different in styles – that he'd like for his next career step. Johnson (19-8 MMA, 8-6 UFC), a rising UFC flyweight contender, would like to mix things up with crafty wrestler Asu Almabayev or or scrappy striker Brandon Royval following his latest win in the octagon. Johnson defeated veteran Bruno Silva (15-8-2 MMA, 3-5 UFC) on the preliminary card of Saturday's UFC Fight Night 269 at the Meta APEX.

Johnson sees those two names as a step forward, and very good tests to showcase his progress. "I think Asu is a great fight," Johnson told MMA Junkie and other media at the UFC Fight Night 269 post-fight press conference. "It's that wrestling style that I've had difficulties in the past.

Not anymore. And I would love to test myself against him. He's a very tough style to deal with because he's grapple heavy, but he can throw bombs.

And, you know, he beat the guy I just lost to, (Alex Perez). So regardless, that shows that for me, I just, I can get that fight back by beating him. "Or, you know, I've fought Brandon Royval in the LFA, and that was a very close fight.