UFC lightweight Michael Johnson (16-9 MMA, 8-5 UFC) wanted to fight ex-champ Anthony Pettis in his next bout but settled for brash veteran Nate Diaz (17-10 MMA, 12-8 UFC), he told MMAjunkie Radio.

“Diaz is still tough,” he said of the bout, which is set for UFC on FOX 17 on Dec. 19 at Orlando’s Amway Center. “It’s going to be a little bit more entertaining, I think.”

Diaz returns from a 13-month layoff after a bout with Matt Brown fell through for July’s UFC 189. The always outspoken fighter will look to get back in the win column after a lopsided loss to current 155-pound champion Rafael dos Anjos.

Johnson also didn’t get the fight he wanted in his most recent outing, a controversial split decision loss to Beneil Dariush at this month’s UFC Fight Night 73. But he isn’t clamoring for a rematch of that one.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t think we’re going to cross paths again,” he said of Dariush. “I’m going to get through this fight and I’m going to be champ next year. The only way we’re going to cross paths is for the title, and I don’t believe he has what it takes. I don’t see how you can win a fight when you’re backing up the whole fight.”

While Johnson officially lost the bout, he said he still was paid the “win” portion of his contracted purse by the UFC. He claimed he could have protested the official result with the Tennessee Athletic Commission overseeing UFC Fight Night 73, but didn’t want to waste his time behind the scenes.

“The whole world felt I won that last fight, so in my eyes, I’m still on a five-fight win streak right now,” he said. “Nothing has changed. I’m still going to go in there with the momentum.”

Johnson expects he and Diaz will both me moving forward and won’t give any ground when they meet in the cage. They will also talk some trash while fists are flying, he added.

“He can’t help but talk sh-t,” Johnson said. “That’s what he does. I don’t have to hope that it’s going to happen. I can’t wait for him to start running his mouth. I’ll egg him on a little bit.”

And while a fight with Pettis would have made up more ground for the setback he endured, Johnson said a fight with Diaz will still do a lot for his career.

“Regardless of his ranking, Nate is still one of the best lightweights in the world,” he said. “I’m not going to take that away from him – I’m just going to take his dignity away from him once we get in the cage.”

Johnson also is adamant that the man he’ll meet for the title isn’t the current champ, Rafael dos Anjos, who meets Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in UFC on FOX 17’s headliner.

“I believe ‘Cowboy’ is going to take the title from (Rafael dos Anjos), I really do,” he said. “I’ve trained with ‘Cowboy’ – people say he chokes in big fights, but I think he’s on a momentum, and he’s going to ride that wave. I think me and ‘Cowboy’ are going to have to fight for the title pretty soon.”

For the latest on UFC on FOX 17, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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