It's Not the Size of the Dog in the Fight, It's the Size of the Fight in the Dog (And Why DJ Takes It to Another Level Entirely)

When everyone says you're too small, too old, too outmatched—that's when you prove them wrong.

I was always the small guy.

Growing up. In school. On the job. On the mat.

Always the smallest guy in the room.

And for a long time, that meant I got bullied. Harassed. Overlooked.

Because people saw my size and assumed I wasn't a threat. Wasn't capable. Wasn't worth taking seriously.

Until I got sick of it.

Until I learned to push back. Set boundaries. Hold them.

Until I learned that it's not the size of the dog in the fight—it's the size of the fight in the dog.

I learned that in Hapkido. I learned it again in construction. I've had to prove it my entire life.

But then there are people who take that principle to a whole other level.

People like Demetrius "DJ" Johnson.

And if you want to understand what's possible when you refuse to let size, age, or odds define you—you need to know his story.

The Pound-for-Pound Greatest Fighter You've May Never Have Heard Of

​Demetrius Johnson is a flyweight fighter.

That means he competes at and weighs 125 pounds.

Let that sink in. One hundred and twenty-five pounds.

Most people outweigh him. Most guys at the gym are bigger than him. Most high school linebackers are bigger than him.

And yet, DJ is one of the greatest fighters who's ever lived.

He holds the record for the most consecutive flyweight wins in UFC history. Thirteen in a row.

He holds the record for the most title defenses. Eleven.

For years, he's ranked #4 in the pound-for-pound top ten fighters in the world—across all weight classes.

Not just the best small guy. One of the best, period.

But that's not even the crazy part.

The Mixed-Rules Fight Against a Muay Thai Legend

After dominating the UFC flyweight division, DJ moved to One Championship.

And that's where things got insane.

He took on Rodtang Jitmuangnon—one of the most feared Muay Thai fighters in the world. Thailand's pound-for-pound champion.

The longest-reigning champion in One Championship Muay Thai.

But here's the twist: it wasn't a straight MMA fight. It was a mixed-rules fight.

Rounds 1 and 3: Muay Thai rules. No grappling. No takedowns. Just stand-up striking.

Rounds 2 and 4: MMA rules. Everything goes.

So DJ—a guy known for his wrestling and grappling—had to fight two rounds under pure Muay Thai rules against one of the best Muay Thai fighters on the planet.

And in the first round, Rodtang came at him like a freight train.

Kicks. Punches. Elbows. Knees. Relentless pressure.

DJ weathered the storm. Survived the onslaught.

And in the second round, when MMA rules kicked in, DJ took Rodtang to the ground and submitted him with a rear naked choke.

A 125-pound mixed martial artist weathered the best 125-pound Muay Thai legend at his own game—and then beat him at DJ's game.

That's not just skill. That's heart.

That's the size of the fight in the dog.

Then He Fought a Guy Twice His Size

But that's still not the craziest thing DJ has done.

Because DJ also competed in an open match against an BJJ brown belt who weighed in at 248 pound, let's just call it two-fifty, lol

Two hundred and fifty pounds.

That's twice his size. Twice his weight.

A guy who could literally pick him up and throw him across the room.

And DJ won.

By armbar.

He submitted a guy twice his size using technique, leverage, and the refusal to believe that size alone determines the outcome.

The Lesson: It's Not About the Odds, It's About the Fight

Most people would look at those matchups and say, "That's impossible."

A 125-pound guy fighting a Muay Thai legend under Muay Thai rules? Impossible.

A 125-pound guy submitting a 250-pound grappler? Impossible.

But DJ didn't care about impossible.

He cared about one thing: the fight inside him.

Not his size. Not his age. Not the odds.

The fight.

And that's the lesson you need to internalize if you want to succeed in anything.

Because the world is going to tell you you're too small. Too old. Too inexperienced. Too outmatched.

And if you believe them, they're right.

But if you ignore them and focus on the fight inside you—on your skill, your heart, your refusal to quit—then the odds don't matter.

Why I Had to Learn This the Hard Way

I was always the smallest guy on the construction site.

Five-foot-four. But now 5'2" after all those that work. Maybe 120 pounds soaking wet.

And in construction, that matters. It's a physical job. A lot of the work requires strength, endurance, leverage.

And when you're small, people assume you can't handle it.

So they overlook you. They underestimate you. They try to push you around.

Until you prove them wrong.

I learned that the hard way. I got bullied. I got harassed. I got pushed.

Until I learned to push back.

Until I learned to set boundaries and hold them.

Until I learned that if I didn't stand up for myself, no one else would.

And the same thing happened on the mat.

In Hapkido, I was always one of the smallest guys. In BJJ, I'm still one of the smallest guys.

And when you're small, you can't rely on strength. You can't muscle your way through. You can't overpower people.

You have to be technical. You have to be smart. You have to be relentless.

You have to have more fight than the other guy.

And that's what I learned: it's not the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog.

What DJ Proves That Most People Don't Understand

Most people think success is about having the best resources. The most talent. The biggest advantages.

But DJ proves the opposite.

He proves that:

1. Skill Beats Strength

You don't need to be the biggest. You need to be the best at what you do.

DJ doesn't try to out-muscle anyone. He out-techniques them. He out-positions them. He out-thinks them.

That's leverage. That's strategy. That's mastery.

​Watch this short clip of DJ doing a take-down then transitioning beautifully to a flying armbar!

2. Adaptation Beats Specialization

DJ didn't just master one style. He mastered multiple.

Wrestling. Boxing. Muay Thai. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

And when the rules changed, he adapted.

That's what made him dangerous. Not just his skill in one area, but his ability to adapt to any situation.

3. Heart Beats Hype

Rodtang is the badass. The legend. The unbeatable Muay Thai champion.

But DJ had the heart.

He weathered the storm. He survived the first round. And then he imposed his will.

That's not luck. That's mental toughness. That's the refusal to quit.

4. The Size of the Fight Matters More Than the Size of the Fighter

A 125-pound guy submitting a 250-pound grappler should be impossible.

But it's not.

Because size is just one variable. And if you have more fight—more technique, more heart, more refusal to accept defeat—you can overcome size.

That's what DJ proves every time he steps into the ring.

How to Channel Your Inner DJ (Even If You're Not a Fighter)

You don't have to be a world-class fighter to apply this lesson.

You just have to be willing to fight for what matters.

Here's how:

1. Stop Using "Size" as an Excuse

Whatever your "size" is—your age, your resources, your experience, your network—stop using it as an excuse.

Yes, some people have advantages. So what?

You have something they don't: the willingness to outwork them. To out-think them. To refuse to quit.

That's your edge.

2. Focus on What You Can Control

DJ can't control his size. He can't make himself 6'2" and 250 pounds.

So he focuses on what he can control: his technique. His conditioning. His mental game.

You can't control the odds. You can't control what other people think. You can't control the advantages other people have.

But you can control your effort. Your focus. Your refusal to quit.

That's where the fight lives.

3. Master the Fundamentals

DJ doesn't always win with flashy moves. He usually wins with fundamentals executed at the highest level.

Footwork. Positioning. Leverage. Timing.

Boring? Maybe.

Effective? Absolutely.

Whatever you're doing—business, career, martial arts, life—master the fundamentals. Because fundamentals compound.

4. Weather the Storm

DJ didn't panic when Rodtang came at him in the first round.

He didn't quit. He didn't fold. He weathered the storm.

Because he knew: if he could survive the onslaught, he'd get his opportunity.

Life is the same. Sometimes you're in a bad position. Sometimes the odds are against you. Sometimes you're getting hit hard.

Your job isn't to win immediately. Your job is to survive. To weather the storm. To stay in the fight.

Because if you can do that, you'll get your opportunity.

5. Refuse to Accept the Narrative

Everyone told DJ he was too small. That flyweights don't sell. That he'd never be a star.

He went to One Championship because he wasn't being valued

He didn't care. He focused on being the best.

Everyone will tell you you're too small, too old, too inexperienced, too whatever.

Ignore them. Focus on the fight inside you.

Because the narrative doesn't define you. Your fight does.

The Role Model for When Everyone Says You're Crazy

There's only one DJ.

But we can all use him as a role model for what's possible.

Especially when everyone around you is saying you're crazy.

When they say you're too small. Too old. Too outmatched. Too whatever.

That's when you channel your inner DJ.

That's when you remember: it's not the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog.

And DJ? He takes that principle to another level. Or three.

The Next Time the Odds Are Against You

The next time the odds are stacked against you, remember DJ.

Remember the 125-pound guy who beat a Muay Thai legend under Muay Thai rules.

Remember the 125-pound guy who submitted a 250-pound grappler.

Remember that size, age, experience, resources—they're just variables.

They're not destiny.

What matters is the fight inside you.

Your skill. Your heart. Your refusal to quit.

That's what determines the outcome.

Not the size of the dog. The size of the fight in the dog.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

We live in a world that's obsessed with advantages.

The best tools. The best connections. The best resources.

And if you don't have them, you're told you can't compete.

But that's a lie.

Because the people who win aren't always the ones with the best advantages.

They're the ones with the most fight.

The ones who refuse to quit. Who adapt. Who master the fundamentals. Who weather the storm.

The ones who look at a 250-pound opponent and say, "I can beat him."

And then do it.

That's DJ.

And that can be you.

The One Thing You Need to Do Right Now

If you take one thing from this, let it be this:

Stop letting size—whatever your "size" is—define what's possible.

Stop using it as an excuse. Stop believing the narrative that you're too small, too old, too outmatched.

Start focusing on the fight inside you.

On your skill. Your heart. Your refusal to quit.

Because the world doesn't reward the biggest dog.

It rewards the dog with the most fight.

And if you've got that, the odds don't matter.

Reply with this: One time when you were told you were too small, too old, or too outmatched—and whether you let that stop you or whether you proved them wrong.

⚔ The Dojo Drill

Today’s training:

The Future Self Drill

Ask:

Do that.

📚 Leader’s Library

Book I recommend this week:

​​The Art of War by Sun Tzu​​

Why?

Because almost every leader for over 2500 years has been studying it.

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Chuck