Reports from the Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday night said that many fans left UFC 186 before the conclusion of the main event between flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and Kyoji Horiguchi.

If that was indeed the case, UFC president Dana White didn't notice -- and he doesn't really care.

"I don't give a sh*t what people are doing," White said at the post-fight press conference. "I'm watching the fight."

Johnson beat Horiguchi via submission at 4:59 of the fifth round -- the latest stoppage in UFC history and really the latest possible stoppage there can be in an MMA fight. It was a dominant performance by one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Yet there were boos during the main event and spectators didn't seem to appreciate the excellence Johnson was putting forth. Canadian fans also left the arena during Johnson's title fight with Ali Bagautinov at UFC 174 last June before it was over.

Johnson (22-2-1), for various reasons, has not become a huge draw with fans. He has routinely drawn historically low pay-per-view buyrates when he headlines cards. Johnson is humble, does not talk trash and his style is more tactical and technical than violent. All of those things compounded have contributed to him not connecting with the audience as well as someone with his ridiculously high skill level should.

White said it doesn't matter. Johnson just has to keep doing what he's doing.

"It's kind of sad that Demetrious Johnson has this thing hanging over his head, he's not this, he's not that," White said. ... "He does everything the exact way he's supposed to. He comes in with a game plan and follows it to the letter. He's just one of these guys that has to put his head down, keep doing his thing and you have to respect him."

There is no exact science regarding who becomes a star and who does not. Johnson has now won eight straight fights and defended his flyweight belt six times. There is no doubt he is one of the best in the world, up there with the Jon Joneses and Jose Aldos. "Mighty Mouse" has also finished four of his last five bouts.

White thinks it's only a matter of time before Johnson becomes a draw. The boss doesn't think he -- or the UFC -- has to do anything differently.

"Anderson Silva wasn't the biggest star ever when he was champion," White said. "Chuck Liddell wasn't a big star for a while. His day will come."

And as for people leaving in the fourth round between Johnson and Horiguchi, White seems to think it was foolish.

"It's like you're walking out when you think your basketball team is losing and they come back and win the game," White said.