Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is asking it a profession.
The previous UFC flyweight champion, present ONE Championship flyweight champion and arguably one of many best combined martial artists of all time introduced Friday evening at ONE 168 in Denver that he will likely be hanging up the gloves.
Johnson, 38, retires with knowledgeable MMA document of 25-4-1 and leaves behind a adorned legacy wherein he’s well known as the very best to ever compete within the flyweight division. Johnson introduced his retirement within the state the place he final competed, defeating Adriano Moraes by unanimous choice to retain the flyweight championship in Might 2023.
“Like I mentioned final time, after I got here to Denver, Colorado, I advised you guys that was doubtlessly my final combat, and I used to be not mendacity,” a tearful Johnson mentioned. “I’m executed competing in combined martial arts.”
Identified for his lightning velocity, distinctive wrestling and elusive motion, Johnson’s excellent MMA profession was fought primarily within the UFC and ONE Championship. The AMC Pankration fighter began his UFC tenure as a bantamweight in 2011 and fell quick in his try and win the UFC 135-pound title in opposition to Dominick Cruz. The promotion would introduce the flyweight division in early 2012, which was higher suited to Johnson. He participated in a event to find out an inaugural flyweight champion and defeated Joseph Benavidez by break up choice at UFC 152 to say gold.
From 2012 to 2017, Johnson tore by the division, turning again opponents in dominant trend. Information started to floor in 2018 that the UFC had thought-about shuttering the division as a result of promotion’s smallest weight class missing star energy. This was due largely to Johnson’s commanding reign as champion and the promotion’s incapability to search out him a rival. Johnson misplaced his title to Henry Cejudo by a controversial break up choice and was subsequently traded to ONE Championship for Ben Askren in 2018.
Preventing out of Parkland, Washington, Johnson made his debut for the promotion in 2019 and fell quick in his preliminary try and win ONE Championship gold in opposition to Moraes in 2021. Nonetheless, Johnson would make good on his second try, knocking out Moraes in 2022, and he went on to take the rubber match in 2023.
Though he hasn’t competed within the UFC in over 5 years, Johnson nonetheless holds many UFC flyweight data, together with most wins (13), most finishes (7) and longest successful streak (13).
It was introduced throughout the broadcast that Johnson could be the primary fighter inducted into the ONE Championship Corridor of Fame.
The ONE flyweight title will likely be vacated, however Johnson wasn’t going to go away the belt within the cage on this evening.
“They needed me to go away the belt in right here, however I ain’t doing that s—,” Johnson mentioned. “I got here into this sport a champ, and I am leaving as a champ too.”