Sherdog's TJ De Santis catches up with announcer Gus Johnson, who will step up to the MMA microphone Saturday for CBS and EliteXC.

Johnson discusses the violence and brilliance of MMA as well as ESPN coverboy Kimbo Slice.

Sherdog: You've done a lot of mainstream sports, the basketball to baseball, stuff like that for major networks. Now next Saturday night you're going to be working on -- I want to say that mixed martial arts is a mainstream sport but it's not quite there -- what is your opinion of mixed martial arts? Do you think it is a mainstream sport?
Johnson: Yeah. It is a mainstream sport. People just don't know about it yet. And once we introduce it to the world and it keeps getting the exposure that it's getting, I think it's going to take its rightful place as one of the great fight sports in the United States. I just love it. I love what it represents. I love the honesty of mixed martial arts, you know. I'm not going to feel bad about wanting to see a good fight -- an honest fight. And I think that's the problem. There are some people out there are shying away from seeing an honest fight and I just think it's going to take just a little bit of time for people to get over that -- for people to understand that ground and pound is just part of the sport, that hammerfisting is part of the sport, that armbarring and triangle choking and rear naked choking are part of the sport. Guys get cut. Guys bleed, Guys get teeth knocked out. Guys get ligaments ripped or dislocated. However, there are less fatal injuries in this sport (and this is what they're telling me) than in boxing because it ends quickly. I just think it's going to take some time and once we understand.

See America, we have to understand the genius that is mixed martial arts. We have to understand that, in my opinion, this is a simulation of what it could possibly be like in hand-to-hand combat, maybe in the field of battle. And we all know that when we see hand-to-hand combat, eighty percent of the time the fight ends up on the ground. So what are you going to do if you get knocked on your ass and you've got to defend yourself? Well, you do jiu-jistu, you scissor-sweep them, you try to take his arm away from him and armbar him or you triangle choke them. These are the kind of things you can do when you are on your back. So what does that say? That says that when you're on your back you're not necessarily losing. As a matter of fact, if you're the right man, you're in the prime position to win. So I think it's going to take some time. They may not be calling it mainstream right now, but I'm calling it mainstream because I'm going to be positive about it and I think that's what's going to happen.

Sherdog: You mentioned that American fans are looking for an honest fight. Boxing's been around forever. Do you feel boxing has lost some of that "honest fight" mentality?
Johnson: Yes. Yes I do. Too many old fighters, not enough new fighters, no good American heavyweights. You rarely see a great fight anymore where guys are out there really just putting it on the line and banging from the very beginning. It's a lot posturing, a lot talking. I think America's tired of it. I think America wants something new, especially young America. These kids -- I don't think this 15-25 year-old demographic is checking for boxing as much as they are for mixed martial arts. I think that the action is fierce. It's quick. It's complicated. And it serves as a perfect vehicle for the release of that violent side of us as humans, especially for these young guys that are going through that adolescent stage of 15 to 21-22 years old. So I just think it's perfect. Hopefully maybe this will inject a shot in the arm to boxing and make these guys get out there and realize that we got to do something different. We got to make our sport more of a competitive sport and go out there and really bang with each other.

Sherdog: Wednesday morning you were on The Sherdog Radio Network with "The Savage Dog Show." The guys asked you a what if question about blood. Should a fight get bloody you were optimistic that the American public would accept that. What makes you think that the network television audience is ready for that?
Johnson: People are becoming more aware of the brilliance of mixed martial arts and the human chess match that it is. You're not just fighting a guy with your hands. You're fighting a guy with your hands, your elbows, your knees, your feet, and your legs.

Yeah, it might get a little bloody but that is part of the sport. I really believe our tolerance of violence is growing. When you look at some of the things that our young people are in to… If you look at the average video games now days. I don't know if you have seen Grand Theft Auto IV but that makes mixed martial arts look like Rock-em Sock-em Robots. I just think that our tolerance has to be tested. I am interested in seeing what happens if that takes place. And most likely it will. There's always blood in these fights. Especially when you got five fights. Eventually somebody gets cut, somebody gets elbowed, somebody gets kneed. I am looking forward to seeing it and I am looking forward to seeing the reaction from the people that watch.

Sherdog: So you believe that network television is ready for the violence that mixed martial arts can bring to the table. But do you feel that CBS and network television is ready for the poster boy of EliteXC Kimbo Slice?
Johnson: I think so. I think Kimbo Slice is America. You have to look at what's going on in our country right now. Times are tough man. People are losing their houses due to foreclosures. You've gotta fight right now to maintain your way of life, to protect your family. We all need a little Kimbo Slice in us at this particular time in our country as we make this transition out of what feels like a recession. I think that Kimbo Slice is America and I want you to quote me on that.

Kimbo Slice is America because here is a man that has fought his way out of poverty and fought his way out of homelessness. He has fought his way in to the American consciousness. And now is fighting his way on to network primetime television on Saturday. Tens of millions of people have watched him on these backyard brawls. So that says something. Why are they watching him if he is not an important character? Why are people interested in his story? Why are people interested in watching his fight? Because there is some part of Kimbo Slice that affecting millions and millions of people… Therefore he is ready to be the poster boy of mixed martial arts on CBS. I think in my opinion Kimbo Slice is America.

Sherdog: You say Kimbo Slice is America. In mixed martial arts the American type figure is often considered to be Randy Couture (Pictures). Do you feel Kimbo is a bigger figure than Randy?
Johnson: You know what? Randy Couture (Pictures) is "The Natural." He is "Captain America." I believe that Randy Couture (Pictures) is just a brilliant, brilliant fighter. He is a masterful technician. He's a guy that is training people now. I just think that Randy Couture (Pictures) for a number of years has been THE or one of THE faces of mixed martial arts. So that's not a diss or a slap at "The Natural." All we are saying is here at CBS we feel that Kimbo Slice is a great American story and we want to tell it.

Sherdog: Talk a little bit about CBS and mixed martial arts. Sumner Redstone is one of the majority owners of CBS. He has talked negatively about mixed martial arts. What do you think has to happen Saturday night to change his view on the sport?
Johnson: Well Mr. Redstone is the boss of my boss' boss. So, I am going to be very delicate in answering this question. But what I will say is hopefully we can go out there Saturday and tell some great stories. We can humanize some of these great artists/athletes. Have some great action, and deliver a really good rating. I think that is probable. If that takes place, maybe we can change his mind.

Sherdog: Is mixed martial arts here to stay on CBS?
Johnson: I hope so. I want that to take place. I don't know… You know, I was just on the air with a Fox sports radio station in Los Angeles. They had a survey asking if mixed martial arts has replaced boxing. Eighty two percent called in and said that mixed martial arts had replaced boxing as the number one fight sport in our country. I think that is a very interesting survey conducted on a legitimate all sports radio station in the second largest city in the country. I hope mixed martial arts is here to stay. But as I said before, we need a good show and a good number Saturday. And once that happens the question of is mixed martial arts here to stay may switch to something like when is the next show going to take place.

Sherdog: Mixed martial arts has yet to have a key figure in the booth. Football has had John Madden. Boxing has guys like Jim Lampley. Why do you think mixed martial arts hasn't had someone like that yet?
Johnson: I just think that it's still a new sport here. The UFC debuted it what, 1993? It's now 2008. It hasn't had the funding. Some of the companies have gone belly up. Thank goodness for "The Ultimate Fighter" to rescue the UFC. Thank goodness for Dana White to serve as that strong spokesman of the sport. Now that it's going to network television I think you've got to have the right person. I think that some of the announcers out there are excellent. Mauro Ranallo is an excellent mixed martial arts blow-by-blow man. Mike Goldberg is an excellent mixed martial arts blow-by-blow man. I think these guys do a terrific job.

I just think it's timing. A network has picked it up now as opposed to cable networks. They're giving me an opportunity to go out there as one of the younger members of the CBS stable to call it.