Our good friend and legandary American media guy, Eric Johnson sat down with Haiden Deegan about his move to the 450 class for the World Supercross Championship. Big news and a big interview.

"I’m sitting in my room at the moment,” pointed out Deegan on Friday afternoon. “I just got back to riding today. First day and it was solid. I haven’t really trained or done anything for three weeks. For being back this quick. I feel super good, though. This sport does burn you out to where you’re like, ‘I don’t want to see a dirt bike.’ This is the first time in a while where I have something to prove on this new 450 and I want to get back to work. I didn’t do that before because of my shoulder. It was just biting at me and now I can finally get back to training. It feels good. This is the first time where I’ve kind of been motivated to really get back on the bike.

Deegan during a come-from-behind charge in Denver that clinched his first SX title.Align Media

And why is Deegan so keen to get back on a Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450F race bike?

“I want to get strong and get back to winning on this thing and prove people wrong,” he replied. “That’s my goal. That was my goal when I was an amateur coming into the 250 class. I went out there and did it. I feel like that’s my responsibility now.”

And all things SuperMotocross are precisely what drives Haiden Deegan’s way of racing life.

"100-percent,” he declared. “I mean in my off-season I go and have fun and still live as a kid and a teenager as I would. Really, I mean back to training this week. Anyone texting me and asking me anything, I’m like, ‘No.” My full focus is go to bed, wake up early, train, eat healthy and do recovery and go back to bed.’ When I’m locked in, I’m locked-in, for sure. With the goals that I have for myself, I want to stay away from the noise. This is going to be such a big year for me and I really want to work hard and prove people wrong and prove to myself that I can do it.”

Be it social media, print media, broadcast television, race events and even word of mouth, race fans the entire world over have created a massive wedge of support for one Haiden Deegan.

“Yeah, it’s wild. I definitely have the biggest following in our sport. I won’t even be on the internet and I won’t even post anything for a couple of weeks and not even say anything and I still see myself headlining each media thing! It always has something to say. I’m like, ‘I am not even talking right now and you guys are still bringing stuff up in every single media outlet!’ I think it’s crazy. In general, it’s all built off of me. It’s from what I built off just winning and success and how I do things. It’s made people kind of obsess with making content and talking about it.”

After an excellent championship-winning season, Deegan feels positive about his overall body of racing work completed during 2025.

“Yeah, I think this year was my greatest year as a pro so far. In the outdoor season I really feel like I put it all together. The year before was a really good outdoor season, but this year I ticked off some boxes this year being as consistent as I was and winning as many motos as I did. I obviously got that supercross title, which has been hindering me. I’ve gotten second two times in a row. Gettig that was a big accomplishment for me. I really put it all together and got that championship. Then there is what went down in SMX. If it wasn’t for that second round, I think the championship would have been easy to win. I was perfectly fine and then, obviously, I got taken out. With where I was at, I was in such a good and dominant spot. I felt like no one could touch me. It wasn’t really possible.”

Deegan was only off of the podium on four occasions during the entire 2025 racing season.

“Yeah, despite being taken out and just a couple dumb mistakes, I feel like I actually did a whole lot better this year than what I did last year. I feel like I’ve done really well when I go to races or when I’m training. You put your best effort in and don’t let any outside noise get to you. Just do your best effort. If that was a win, if that was a championship, good job. If it wasn’t, all you can do is go back to work and I kind of lived off that mindset. I wanted to close everything out on the outside when I’m racing and training and do the best I can. If that winning, it’s winning. If it’s not, then you only can do as good as you can do. I feel like that’s gotten me really far and I’m just going to keep doing that.”

Deegan on his attacks on Jo Shimoda at the SMX Final: "Honestly, a lot of people disagree with the way I did things there. I don’t go against it at all because I tried my heart out and did everything I could." Eric Johnson

Now the fans and the media – ALL media – will be awaiting his next move – on or off the track and on or off the internet.

“I’m still a nineteen year old kid. A lot of things people say and do towards me, most nineteen year olds would shut down. I’ve had a family structure behind me that have built me so tough that it’s unbreakable. There will still be days after a loss or after you lost a championship and you sit in your room and be like, ‘Damn, this one hurts, but how can you get back up and how can you fight?’ I’m not someone that just breaks down and lets it take me down. I feel like that’s just how I was raised and it's gotten me really far.”

Deegan also spoke about the radical highs and lows that all come along with such a fierce sport.

“Yeah, I think it’s one of the most ruthless sports that there is,” said Deegan. “It can tear down one weekend and bring you up the next.”

This all comes with the territory. The high profile means high interest both positive and negative. Haiden understands that overall this can lift the profile of the sport.

“It’s definitely epic because you’re bringing new eyes and new sponsors to the sport. And I think just for myself and other riders, it’s going to start bringing more money to the sport. Yeah, it’s a positive. Like I say whether people like me or not, they’re watching me and I think it’s going to stay that way until I retire.”

Before Haiden went back to making plans for his approaching jet set trip to Buenos Aires for the FIM World Supercross Championship, he weighed in about the high profile dust up he precipitated with Jo Shimoda at the Las Vegas SuperMotocross round.

“A lot of people have never been in that position. Anytime you’re in that position, it’s split decision thinking when you’re racing. And honestly, I did as best as I could. Sometimes it just doesn’t go in your favor. Honestly, a lot of people disagree with the way I did things there. I don’t go against it at all because I tried my heart out and did everything I could. Whether people agree or not, honestly, that’s how I was going to do it and it was split decision thinking on what you really can do and I did the best I could.”

And now the time has come for Haiden Deegan to go global. Bring on the Oscar & Juan Galvez Racetrack in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“It has been a dream of mine to even just leave the country,” explained Deegan. “Since little bikes! In little bikes I had a bet with the dad that if I won at Loretta Lynn’s, he’d take me to Australia. He just never did (laughter). Now I am officially going to Argentina and Australia, so that’s big for me. I’m expanding my fanbase. I guarantee you. We go over there and gain tons of flowers and support and bring it back to America.”