Georges St-Pierre says Conor McGregor’s trash talk was the driving force behind his status as the most popular fighter in UFC history, while Demetrious Johnson argues it was McGregor’s skill set that first drew him in.
The two all-time greats discussed McGregor on a recent episode of The GSP Podcast ahead of his July 11 return at UFC 329 against Max Holloway.
“I think it’s because fights are promoted by emotion. They try to trigger emotion. Most fans, I mean, not all the fans, but I would say a big part of the fans in mixed martial arts, especially in the west part of the globe, they want to be attached to an emotion. That’s what triggers their interest for a fight. ‘Oh, he said this’ or ‘He did this,’ so they relate to that thing. That’s why I believe, for example, Conor McGregor was very skilled, but what makes him the most popular fighter of all time is his talking, his ability.”
Johnson pushed back slightly, saying it was McGregor’s movement and technique that originally attracted him.
“And for me, it was his skill set. I’ll never forget watching him fight Diego Brandao, the way he was able to move and hit him. The way he would throw his cross, southpaw, his push kicks. Even when he fought — I didn’t care, the shit talking was the cherry on top for me. It attracts the masses, but for me what attracted me to Conor was his skill set.”
St-Pierre gave McGregor credit for being able to back up his words.
“Conor was the best because he was very charismatic. He used to create an emotion out of it. You couldn’t look at Conor and be like, ‘I don’t care.’ It’s either you love him, you want to see him win, or you want to see him lose. But behind that he was able to back it up because he was like a sniper with that left hand. Boom.”
Ronda Rousey publicly responded for the first time to comments Demetrious Johnson made about her nearly nine years ago, calling him out on Instagram ahead of her comeback fight.
In May 2017, during a Q&A with Sports Illustrated, Johnson was asked about handling potential disappointment and brought up Rousey unprompted.
“You look at Ronda Rousey. You got your ass beat, grow the fck up. It happens. It’s mixed martial arts. I don’t want to be like that. If I lose, I’ll be like, ‘I lost.’ Everybody fcking loses. It’s part of the sport. Grow up. Look, Ronda, you lost two fcking fights in a row, and you made more fcking money than the women’s roster. You’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it.”
Rousey had never publicly addressed the remarks until this week. In a video posted by All the Smoke on Instagram on Wednesday, she was asked about Johnson while discussing her upcoming fight against Gina Carano.
“Fck you, DJ, OK? I was totally cool about you, and I put you over, and you were being — you said some nasty ass sht about me.”
Rousey has not competed since her 48-second TKO loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016. She returns to MMA on Saturday when she faces Carano in the Netflix debut of MVP MMA at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Johnson went on to break Anderson Silva’s record with his 11th consecutive flyweight title defense before losing the belt to Henry Cejudo. He was later traded to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren.
Khamzat Chimaev recently gave Demetrious Johnson a harsh reminder of the realities of weight classes during a grappling session that quickly turned one-sided.
The two shared the mats during a training session in California, where “Borz” is preparing for his first title defense. Despite Johnson’s reputation as one of the most technically gifted fighters in MMA history, the size difference between the two proved to be a decisive factor.
Before the exchange began, “Mighty Mouse” jokingly referenced Arman Tsarukyan while speaking to Chimaev.
“Did Arman tell you I was good?” Johnson asked. “Arman, tell you I was strong?”
The 31-year-old Chechen, clearly aware of the disparity in size, responded with a smile.
“Maybe for him, yeah.”
What followed was a quick demonstration of Chimaev’s dominance. The UFC middleweight champion wasted little time securing control, locking up a front headlock before transitioning smoothly into a D’arce choke. Within moments, the MMA legend was forced to tap, with those watching noting the exchange lasted just 47 seconds.
Given the circumstances, the outcome wasn’t particularly surprising. The 39-year-old American built his legacy competing at 125 pounds, while “Borz” currently rules the 185-pound division. Even with Johnson’s elite skill set, overcoming that kind of physical gap was always going to be a challenge.
Johnson later addressed the moment with a dose of realism, explaining his decision-making during the exchange.
“You guys are like ‘man, why did he pull guard?’” Johnson said. “Do you think I’m going to shoot a f*cking takedown on Khamzat Chimaev?”
Now retired from active competition, “Mighty Mouse” is set to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class, further cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
As for Chimaev, his focus remains on the future. He is scheduled to defend his middleweight title against former champ Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 on May 9 at the Prudential Center.
One of the greatest MMA fighters ever, let alone the man who innovated the flyweight division, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will now officially be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
The announcement was made during the main card broadcast of UFC Seattle, with “Mighty Mouse” in attendance. Johnson will be a part of the Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing.
Demetrious Johnson To Be Inducted Into UFC Hall Of Fame
Johnson made his professional MMA debut in 2009, going 5-1 before being brought into the UFC after its acquisition of the WEC.
Johnson won his first two UFC fights before falling to Dominick Cruz in an attempt to capture the UFC bantamweight title in October 2011.
In 2012, Johnson dropped in weight and entered the UFC’s new flyweight division. After battling Ian McCall to a draw, he defeated McCall in a rematch before a controversial decision over Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152 to become the inaugural champion.
That started a legendary run for “Mighty Mouse,” where he placed his name into the UFC’s record books. During his run between 2012 and 2018, he made 11 consecutive successful defenses, the most in UFC history. It’s also the second-most successful defenses in promotion history, only behind Jon Jones.
He’s not only been in the most UFC flyweight title fights, but Johnson also has the most victories via submission in UFC title fights with five. Johnson’s highlights in his title run include a literal last-second submission of Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC 186, a finish of Henry Cejudo at UFC 197, and his flying armbar win over Ray Borg at UFC 217.
Johnson lost the title against Cejudo at UFC 227 via split decision before being “traded” to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren. After winning the ONE Flyweight Grand Prix, Johnson was finished by Adriano Moraes at ONE on TNT 1 in April 2021.
Johnson won the ONE flyweight title in a rematch with Moraes in August 2022. He then won their trilogy bout in May 2023 in what ended up being the final fight in Johnson’s career, retiring as ONE flyweight champion.
Johnson joins a 2026 UFC Hall of Fame class that includes Dominick Cruz and the UFC 248 bout between Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson has thrown his support behind Paddy Pimblett ahead of the Liverpool fighter’s interim lightweight title clash against Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. Johnson, who holds the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses with 11, believes Pimblett possesses the skills and mental fortitude to handle Gaethje’s pressure striking game when the two meet on January 24 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Why Demetrious Johnson Thinks Paddy Pimblett Is Ready For Justin Gaethje
In a detailed breakdown of Pimblett’s third-round TKO victory over Michael Chandler at UFC 314 in April 2025, Johnson highlighted the Englishman’s ability to stay composed in dangerous positions. The 30-year-old Pimblett dominated a former Bellator champion and UFC title challenger, securing his seventh consecutive UFC victory in what represented the biggest win of his career to date.
“The one thing that I like about Paddy Pimblett is that when he’s in a dangerous position, he’s going to start attacking submissions to keep the fight going,” ‘Mighty Mouse’ explained in his YouTube breakdown. “He’s done it against multiple opponents, even before the UFC days. You go back and watch him fight in Cage Warriors – he’ll lock up a kimura, he’ll jump for a flying triangle.”
Johnson pointed to specific moments in the Chandler fight where Pimblett’s submission instincts kept him in control. When Chandler attempted to smother him against the cage, Pimblett threw a flying triangle that changed the dynamic of the exchange. “He does a flying triangle, gets slammed back on his back, then he pushes Michael Chandler down, tries to get the triangle more situated, and when Chandler postures up to defend, he kicks him off and gets up,” Johnson noted.
Paddy Pimblett’s Scramble Game Has Justin Gaethje Written All Over It, Says ‘Mighty Mouse’
The distance management Pimblett displayed against Chandler particularly impressed the former champion. Johnson identified what he called “the void” between the two fighters, explaining how Pimblett controlled the middle distance and made it difficult for Chandler to get inside.
“We have the void right here. Each time Chandler comes into this space to try to start anything, it’s either a jab, a leg kick, the inside kick, or Paddy will blitz him, or he’ll back up throwing combinations,” Johnson said. “So Paddy is basically owning this area, giving Michael a hard time getting to him.”
Johnson acknowledged that Gaethje presents different challenges than Chandler, particularly with his striking arsenal. The 36-year-old Gaethje has built a reputation as one of the most devastating leg kickers in UFC history, using the technique to compromise opponents’ mobility and set up finishes. “I believe Justin is going to have that jab, that leg kick, and we’ll see how Paddy goes about it on the feet,” Johnson stated.
Despite the threat Gaethje poses, Johnson praised Pimblett’s fearless approach to fighting. “Paddy doesn’t play dog – Paddy just goes, and he’s not scared to fight. He thrives more when the fight’s going, when the scrambles start, people picking him up, trying to slam him. That’s where he starts to thrive because he’s always in great condition, he’s always doing different submission attacks.”
Johnson has consistently backed Pimblett’s championship potential, even when others have dismissed the Liverpool native. “I’ve always been chirping about Paddy Pimblett being a world champion just because he’s so dynamic – the way he moves, he’s very diverse with his submissions, he’s not scared to exchange. I don’t know why people overlook him. Look what he just did to Michael Chandler. Nobody’s done that to Michael Chandler in the UFC.”
After making his mark in the world’s biggest mixed martial arts promotions—Strikeforce, the UFC, Bellator, and PFL—Romero has made the move to boxing where, despite being 48-years-old, he continues to dominate the competition. After scoring a pair of highlight-reel finishes under the Dirty Boxing Championship banner, ‘Soldier of God’ made his bare-knuckle debut earlier this month and did it yet again, finishing Theo Doukas via a vicious second-round KO.
Looking back on the Cuban’s impressive performance at BKFC 80, former UFC and ONE world champion Demetrious Johnson commended Romero’s ability to take control of every environment he steps into, whether it be a ring, a cage, or an Octagon.
“The movement, the constant rhythm change, the constant in and out rhythm, high guard, dropping in the right hand or straight shots down the middle of that guy’s guard was pretty much the story of the fight,” Johnson said via his YouTube channel. “All right, here we go. By that rhythm in the B. Boom. Right here. Boom. Right down the middle. Right down the middle. Look at his—look at his face. Look, man. Look at the blood just drop right here. Look at this. Then whack. Like, he’s just able to dictate what the guy’s going to do and move a certain way and be able to land those shots. My goodness.”
“I think the biggest thing is Yoel’s movement, him putting things down the middle of the pipe on his opponent and then constantly just being active. Being absolutely active.”
UFC legend Demetrious Johnson has explained why Khamzat Chimaev‘s wrestling is so difficult to overcome.
In the main event of UFC 319, Khamzat Chimaev will finally get his shot at UFC gold. It’s a moment that he’s been waiting a long time for and in the eyes of many, he’s the favorite heading into this contest. Of course, we all know that Dricus du Plessis is going to put up a tough fight, and there’s a pretty good chance he’ll be able to retain the strap.
Alas, one of the reasons for the confidence in Khamzat Chimaev is due to his wrestling. He is so precise and powerful when he shoots and when he gets you to the ground, things can get dangerous pretty quickly.
In a recent analysis video, Demetrious Johnson broke down why Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling is so incredibly impressive.
Demetrious Johnson praises Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling
“Look how deep that shot was. He gets all the weight. He pushes the weight that way and it forces you to put your hands on the mat, which means you have to carry his weight. Then he’s also kicking out that leg, so he’s blocked this, but he’s also kicking the leg out too. He’s big for the division. He’s also longer than Robert Whittaker, so he’s able to do that as well, which puts Robert Whittaker on his butt and carrying all of Khamzat’s weight. And right now, Khamzat’s resting. He’s resting, carrying all that weight.”
“When you look at Khamzat, you have to look at him—when he jumps on you, you better be ready for the best, you better have the best wrestling, anti-wrestling, and fighting skill ready to rock and roll, because once he locks on, he’s going to be looking to go to that position, which I call home. He’s going to sit there and wait and then see what you’re going to do.
“Once you start to post, he’s going to take out that post, jump to the other side, take out the other post, get his hooks in, and beat you up until you give him your neck or neck crank, and he’s going to take it. That’s what he wants to do. He doesn’t want to do anything on the feet. If he could, he would wrestle all day every day.”
Jon Jones’ legendary UFC run ended not with a bang, but a whimper.
Once upon a time, ‘Bones’ was considered by everyone to be the best mixed martial artist of all time. It was undeniable. Chances are, most fans still feel that way, but the last five years of his career has left a lot to be desired.
After vacating his 205-pound title in August 2020, Jones disappeared from the spotlight for three years in a bid to bulk up and eventually test his mettle at heavyweight. In May 2023, he finally returned to the Octagon, making quick work of Ciryl Gane to capture the vacant heavyweight crown. It was a dominant performance that had everyone excited for the future of the division after its previous champion, Francis Ngannou, practically held the belt hostage while failing to negotiate a new deal with the UFC.
Sadly, Jones’ heavyweight title run would be no different.
‘Bones’ defended the gold once over his 25 month reign, besting former two-time titleholder Stipe Miocic in a fight that nobody really asked for. Meanwhile, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall was relegated to the sidelines despite continuous calls for a unification clash with Jones.
‘Mighty Mouse’ Thinks Everyone Will Forget Jon Jones’ Missteps Over Time
The growing frustration among fight fans prompted one of them to launch a petition, calling for Dana White to strip Jones of the heavyweight title. Amassing nearly 200,000 signatures, both Jones and White acknowledged the petition, though neither of them took it seriously.
Jones ultimately vacated the heavyweight title, announcing his retirement from the sport in June. It wasn’t the ending that fans wanted and, in the eyes of many, hurt Jones’ status as the undisputed GOAT of MMA.
Asked whether or not the petition has any impact on Jones’ legacy, former UFC and ONE flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson believes that fans may be feeling a little sore about the way ‘Bones’ walked away, but over time, Jones will be best remembered for what he accomplished inside the Octagon, and not the mockery he made out of a once-loved weight class.
“I think it washes away after some time,” Johnson told Submission Radio. “Everybody’s going to forget. We still can’t take away the fact that Jon Jones has done amazing things inside the Octagon—most title defenses, most title wins in UFC history. The internet is a funny place. It doesn’t exist unless you go on it, right? When Jon Jones looks at his bank account and all his belts, I think the last thing he’s worried about is that 200,000 petition to strip him.”
As it turns out, Jon Jones may not be done just yet.
Less than two weeks after officially retiring from the sport, ‘Bones’ announced that he was re-entering the UFC testing pool.
Just re-entered the testing pool, that lasted for about two weeks. Figured we’d keep everyone’s options open.
Demetrious Johnson believes Paddy Pimblett has the potential to become a UFC champion.
“Mighty Mouse,” a legendary former titleholder on MMA’s biggest stage, has been watching Pimblett’s old fights from Cage Warriors and is extremely impressed by what he’s seen.
In a new YouTube video, Johnson shared his take on Pimblett’s personality and all the stuff he does outside the cage, suggesting it hides how good he is at fighting. He also sees him being a champion one day.
“This is why he’s so good,” Johnson said of Paddy Pimblett. “I think one day he will be a champion. If he doesn’t become champion, it’ll be like one of the guys who were really good and never became champion, like a Urijah Faber or Joseph Benavidez. He does everything right, in this fight, in this time of his career, and when he fought Bobby Green.”
“Paddy can grapple, he can strike, he can do it all,” Johnson said. “I think it’s going to be an interesting fight when he takes on Michael Chandler because Michael Chandler is just a big ball of energy that goes from 0-2000(mph), and I know Paddy’s going to meet that once he gets rocked.”
Johnson believes that even against a powerful striker like Michael Chandler at UFC 314 this weekend, Paddy Pimblett will utilize his jiu-jitsu to try and win on the ground.
After outpointing Adriano Moraes in their trilogy to keep hold of the ONE flyweight title, “Mighty Mouse” hinted that the victory may have marked his farewell. That ultimately turned out to be the case, with Johnson confirming his decision to hang up the gloves by delivering an emotional speech in front of his family and adoring fans.
Months later, the promotion began to move forward as life without Johnson got underway, announcing a vacant title fight between former champ Moraes and a man whom he’d already beaten, Yuya Wakamatsu.
The result means a name other than Johnson or Moraes now holds the flyweight title for the first time in over six years.
Wakamatsu won three straight over Wei Xie, Danny Kingad, and Gilbert Nakatani to earn a rematch with Moraes. “Little Piranha” previously made an unsuccessful challenge for the Brazilian’s belt back in 2022.
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson believes UFC Seattle should mark the end of Henry Cejudo’s fighting career.
Johnson, who fought Cejudo twice in the UFC and developed a rivalry that later turned into a friendship, shared his candid thoughts on the controversial conclusion of the headlining fight.
“Triple C’s” main event bout against Song Yadong ended in a technical decision loss after an accidental eye poke in the third round. Unable to continue, Cejudo saw his opponent win on the judges’ scorecards, leading to a frustrating and unsatisfying outcome for many.
Reflecting on both the fight’s ending and Cejudo’s career trajectory, Johnson took to his YouTube channel to question whether his former rival has reached the end of his competitive peak.
“I would like to see him retire,” Johnson said. “He’s got a great podcast with him and Kamaru Usman, he’s got two beautiful children, he’s got a beautiful wife, he’s got businesses. There’s no reason for him to fight and keep risking his health.”
Given Cejudo’s accomplishments — including winning an Olympic gold medal, UFC championships in two weight classes, and multiple title defenses — Johnson believes he has already cemented his legacy.
“I mean, he’s beaten me, [was] flyweight champion, defended the flyweight belt, bantamweight champion, defended the bantamweight belt—that’s more than half the motherf*ckers on the roster are ever going to do,” Johnson explained.
Beyond accolades, Johnson also emphasized the physical risks Cejudo continues to take, referencing the dangerous nature of his latest injury.
“Yes, I know it’s such good money, it’s easy to train eight weeks and have a fight, but the man almost went blind.”
With concerns about Cejudo’s health and future, Johnson believes now may be the right time for him to step away from competition for good.
UFC legend Demetrious Johnson thinks it’s time for Sean Strickland to change his ways after a second championship defeat in the span of three fights.
Strickland returned to action in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 312 pay-per-view, challenging for Dricus Du Plessis’ middleweight title in Sydney, Australia. Having had the gold taken away by narrow margins opposite Du Plessis 13 months ago, the polarizing American was looking for revenge Down Under.
The challenger utilized his usual limited, non-aggressive offense. Coach Eric Nicksick’s pleas for more from his student fell on deaf ears, and one prominent ex-champ believes Strickland’s current style has taken him as far as it can.
“Sean Strickland has a style where he would not deviate from it,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel. “In order to get better in this sport of mixed martial arts, you have to take the time, swallow your pride, swallow your ego, and put yourself in the position where you’re going to force yourself to evolve and get better and and learn new tools.
“That’s the only way you’re going to become a better fighter in this game. Because otherwise, people who are younger, who will take the time to evolve and get better, are always going to beat you,” Johnson added.
Strickland will now return to the gym and begin his path back to another shot at regaining the belt. Meanwhile, champ Du Plessis is expected to next face a challenge from undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev.
ONE Championship has announced that on March 23 at ONE 172, the promotion will crown a new flyweight champion in the co-main event of the evening. The title has been left vacant ever since Demetrious Johnson announced his retirement at the Ball Arena in Denver this past September at ONE 168.
Following several high stakes contests at flyweight, the two top contenders that will battle for the gold have emerged. Brazil’s Adriano Moraes is a multiple time flyweight champion in ONE and was the inaugural holder of the title back in 2014. In his latest title reign, he ended his trilogy of fights with Geje Eustaquio before becoming the first man to finish Johnson in 2021 which kickstarted their trilogy of fights.
Moraes recently returned to the win column in Johnson’s absence by beating Danny Kingad at ONE 169 in November via a submission in the second round. “Mikinho” is now set to face off with Japan’s Yuya Wakamatsu who is sure to receive an incredible amount of support at the Saitama Super Arena on March 23.
Wakamatsu previously challenged Moraes for the flyweight title in 2022 at ONE: X where he was submitted in the third round. After suffering back-to-back defeats, “Little Pranha” has won three in a row including a dominant victory at the start of December over Gilbert Nakatani.
This huge card is set to be headlined by arguably the biggest fight in the history of the promotion as Rodtang Jitmuangnon faces off with Takeru Segawa in a kickboxing super fight that has been building ever since their matchup at ONE 165 earlier this year fell through due to an injury to the Thai superstar. There is sure to be a lot more top Japanese talent on the card for what will be ONE’s biggest event to date.
Battle for the CROWN 👑 Former ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Adriano Moraes looks to reclaim the vacant throne in enemy territory in a rematch against Yuya Wakamatsu on March 23 at ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang! Will "Little Piranha" avenge his loss and win gold, or will the… pic.twitter.com/YU1Dgji9Mw
Alexandre Pantoja had fight fans buzzing with his performance at UFC 310 and the bold post-fight promo he delivered.
In the main event, Pantoja secured a dominant win by putting Kai Asakura to sleep, successfully defending his flyweight title in the process. However, it was his unexpected callout of former UFC champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson that stole the spotlight.
At the post-fight press conference, “The Cannibal” explained his reasoning behind the challenge, emphasizing both respect and legacy.
“I beat the No. 1, the No. 2 multiple times. The UFC brought me another guy, another champ from across the world, and I finished him. That is the fight that makes sense for me,” Pantoja said. “The flyweight division is so different right now. Back when Demetrious Johnson fought, it was not like this. My last four fights were against a Mexican, Australian, American, and Japanese fighter. Times have changed. It’s so hard to keep this belt now.”
He continued, reflecting on the challenge of maintaining his title in today’s competitive landscape.
“Right now, fighters like me and [Islam] Makhachev have three title defenses. But these are tough times. It’s not like before. All my respect to Demetrious Johnson — I love him for opening the doors for us. But that’s the fight I want. If you ask me what I want for Christmas, that’s what I want.”
Johnson, who retired from MMA this past September at ONE 168 after last competing in May 2023, took to X to respond to Pantoja’s challenge.
“Guys, I got offered $2 million to fight!! I turned it down. I don’t care to fight anymore,” Johnson wrote.
The former champ’s response left fans speculating, especially since his retirement announcement came after a successful career capped by years of dominance. It is, however, believed that Johnson remains contractually tied to ONE Championship, where he fought after being traded from the UFC.
Despite “Mighty Mouse’s” apparent disinterest, Pantoja believes the potential fight transcends money, focusing instead on legacy. The reigning flyweight champ wants to prove himself against a legend of the division, saying it’s about testing who the better fighter truly is.
Having begun his reign with successful defenses against Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg after dethroning Brandon Moreno in 2023, “The Cannibal” was dealt a unique challenge on Saturday night. Sharing the cage with him was a promotional newcomer in Kai Asakura.
The former Rizin bantamweight champion arrived with an impressive résumé and plenty of hype, and an early flying knee confirmed the Japanese star as an exciting addition to the division. But it wasn’t to be for Asakura in his debut, as he fell by way of submission to Pantoja in round two.
With that, Pantoja has firmly placed himself among the all-time greats and brought about some uncertainty over fresh opponent options in 2025. He proposed a solution to that during his Octagon interview, however, calling out “Mighty Mouse.”
Johnson — who enjoyed a record-breaking, six-year flyweight reign in the UFC before finding success in ONE Championship — was quick to react to “The Cannibal’s” comments, reiterating that he intends to stick to the retirement he announced at ONE 168 in Denver this past September.
Guys I got offered 2 million dollars to fight!! I turned it down I don’t care to fight anymore YouTube video dropping soon 😊
“Guys I got offered 2 million dollars to fight!! I turned it down I don’t care to fight anymore YouTube video dropping soon,” Johnson wrote on X.
Of course, beyond just Johnson’s lack of interest in a comeback, there would be the small matter of his contractual situation with ONE, Asia’s largest martial arts organization. The likelihood of the promotion and its CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, releasing “Mighty Mouse” for a UFC return against Pantoja would appear extremely slim.
That hasn’t stopped fans getting behind Pantoja’s callout, though, with many pushing for the legendary former champ to make another walk to the cage in his illustrious career.
In October of 2018, the MMA world was left stunned by a first of it’s kind trade that saw two big names in the sport switch promotions. The UFC gained the trash-talking and controversial Ben Askren with the promotion’s former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson going the other way and joining ONE Championship.
From a basic view, it appears that ONE got the better of the deal. “Mighty Mouse” still had years of elite level competition in him after fighting for the last time in 2023 and during his time in the promotion, he produced some of their biggest moments, was a great ambassador for them and remained one of the greatest to ever do it.
However, though Askren would only fight three times inside the Octagon, he created a lot of interest for his two fights against Robbie Lawler and Jorge Masvidal in particular and though Johnson was loved by hardcore fans, he didn’t have that same draw that bringing Askren in created, even if it did only last a short time.
During a recent episode of Johnson’s MightyCast, he was joined by Askren as the two men spoke about the details of the trade and the time they spent in both promotions. The flyweight GOAT started off by outlining his thoughts on how it all played out which Askren quickly agreed with.
“My standpoint, I said everybody won. I got to go to ONE Championship, make good money. You got to come to UFC, get the opportunity to fight and see if you can do it there.”
With Johnson referencing those big fights and moments that Askren created during his time in the UFC, “Funky” then responded by talking about how ONE didn’t lose any of the interest that Askren brought to the table because at that point, he was already retired unless an opportunity like the UFC landed on his table.
“I mean ONE Championship, the thing that was golden for them is like I wasn’t gonna fight. I was done. If you stay in UFC, I’m assuming you’re going to continue to fight at least for a while until you don’t enjoy it enough to be done and in ONE Championship, I was legit done. I wasn’t fighting anymore and so they essentially sold an asset that was off market and you had a five-year run.”
After Michael Chandler’s attempt to pull a win out of the bag in the fifth round fell short, Charles Oliveira got his hand raised following a dominant performance in the co-main event at UFC 309. Prior to a chaotic end to the fight that had “Do Bronx” trying to survive, he won every round on all three scorecards.
Just like in their first fight three years ago, the striking of Oliveira was very effective and at several points, it looked like he might finish Chandler for the second time. The difference this time around was that when the former lightweight champion had his opponent hurt or backed up to the fence, he implemented his grappling in order to avoid getting into a battle of wills with “Iron” Mike.
According to UFC Stats, Oliveira was successful with 5 of 12 takedown attempts, accumulating a total of 14 minutes and 52 seconds of control time which tells the story of this fight. A lot of that time was spent in a position that the Brazilian is a true master of as he consistently was able to take and control Chandler’s back.
In his post-fight breakdown on his YouTube channel, former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson gave his analysis of the lightweight contest that earned fight of the night honors. He specifically drew attention to the way that Oliveira was able to lock in a body triangle in order to dominate in these positions even if he was unable to find the submission.
“This is pretty much like almost a checkmate but it’s like a check because checkmate means end the game but it’s a check because one wrong move from here, Chandler getting choked out… Just a bad position for Michael Chandler to be in, very, very bad. It’s very, very f****** hard to get out of it especially your legs aren’t longer than your opponents. Trust me, I’ve been there before boys with somebody who’s way longer than me and I hate it.”
In October of 2018, a first of it’s kind deal would take place in the MMA landscape that would see two major names in the sport swap promotion. After losing his UFC flyweight title to Henry Cejudo, Demetrious Johnson was traded to ONE Championship.
Former ONE welterweight champion Ben Askren went the other way in a switch that defined the final stages in the career of both men. Now that he is officially retired from MMA, announcing his decision at ONE 168 last month, Johnson reflected on this in a recent interview.
“Mighty Mouse” would go on to fight seven-times in ONE Championship’s flyweight division where he won the flyweight World Grand Prix and became the champion, defending his title once to close out his trilogy with Adriano Moraes before retiring.
He also competed in a first of it’s kind mixed-rules fight against Muay Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon at the promotion’s historic ONE X card back in 2022 which Johnson won via submission.
Askren, on the other hand, fought just three times in the UFC but produced two incredibly memorable moments when he submitting Robbie Lawler and was knocked out by Jorge Masvidal.
During his recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Johnson gave his detailed thoughts on which party got the better of the trade. He makes the case for why in some ways, both the UFC and ONE Championship got what they wanted out of the trade.
“I mean, it’s no doubt, you look at your boy, I was a f****** working horse. Working horse, the best in the world. Probably pound-for-pound if you didn’t count Jon Jones for skipping me and then, you know, I think Ben Askren was out, he was retired, and me and Ben Askren, we had him on the MightyCast, it’ll drop soon, and we talked about it. But I think when you look at like just money-wise, I think the UFC won because of how much more money they were able to generate and quote unquote from Dana White and those guys, I wasn’t making them any money. But, I think the sheer of just the f****** horse that ONE Championship got, I mean, if I wanted to, I could still fight.
“I don’t think Ben Askren could still fight. I could still fight if I truly wanted to, he can’t, and you look at the fights I was able to produce, the knockouts, the buzz that I was able to produce for ONE Championship, I mean it’s easy clear that they got the better athlete, the better fighter, but when it comes down to the money aspect of it, they probably won. But it’s what are you looking for? Are you looking to generate more money or are you looking to have the best athletes in the world? You want to have the best athletes in the world? They got my black a**.”
One of the latest fighters to weigh in with his own take on the discussion is the former UFC featherweight champion, Max Holloway. “Blessed” not only comes in with a fairly unique Mount Rushmore list but explains why they all deserve their spots.
“I would say Demetrious (Johnson) is definitely up there, Anderson Silva is there too, GSP and then you have to give it to Forrest Griffin because he helped put the UFC on the map. That TUF Finale on Spike TV was huge for the UFC, so those are my guys for sure. Those four guys are absolute animals.”
Holloway went on to talk about how, in his opinion, Johnson does not get the respect that he deserves just because he reigned supreme in the smallest of the men’s weight classes.
“When you talk about Demetrious Johnson, it seems insane to me how he is viewed just because he fought at 125 lbs. This 125-er would absolutely whoop your ass. A lot of bigger guys think they can hang with him, you get these influencers and social media personalities who go around screaming, ‘I’m 260 bro, he’s 125lbs. Brother, Demetrious Johnson would take your ACL and your arm home and then he would come back and cut your head off if he wanted to. You could do nothing about it, he’s such a beast.”
The BMF titleholder added that he has a lot of respect for the greatest welterweight and middleweight of all time, both of which made his list.
“I wish I was fighting during the time that GSP was around, I would have loved to have shared the Octagon with him. He’s one of the greats, as was Anderson Silva – he was such a beast.”
Holloway signed off by explaining the reasoning behind his picks, detailing his own specific criteria and why that eliminates his long time rival, Daniel Cormier.
“Some people might disagree with my Mount Rushmore, but I’m looking at the way these fighters carried themselves inside and outside of the Octagon, how they were ambassadors for the sport and for the company as well. ‘DC’ is probably going to be mad that he’s not on my Mount Rushmore of MMA, but I don’t like the way he carries himself out of the UFC. He thinks he’s the ‘Daddest Man on the Planet’, he is delusional.”
The former UFC flyweight champion said that when looking at Dvalishvili and how he matches up with Nurmagomedov, a few key differences stand out.
“Mighty Mouse”, who recently announced his retirement, drew attention to the fact that whilst the champion is known for smothering his opponents, Nurmagomedov is usually less reliant on pressure.
Johnson therefore believes that Dvalishvili’s seemingly endless gas tank could be his biggest weapon in this fight because we haven’t seen that same pace and output from the potential challenger.
“This is going to be interesting because I feel his [Merab] conditioning is going to be the X-factor because we know he’s not going to stop, he’s going to be a busy bee around the Octagon to where this gentleman [Umar] has the high kicks, he’s very long, he’s very big and he also has the wrestling but he does not have the work ethic like this man [Merab]. Not saying he doesn’t have the work ethic, he doesn’t have just that, ‘I’m coming to smash you, I’m coming to smother you,’ like Khabib. This man [Merab] has that bear gene were he just comes and gets you where he’s [Umar] more strategic.”
Demetrious Johnson turned pro in 2009 and after 15 long years, he finally announced his retirement from MMA during ONE 168: Denver. The former UFC flyweight champ has 12 title fight wins and boasts one of the longest win streaks (13) in the promotion.
During his illustrious UFC run, Johnson walked through the flyweight division with ease. Although his one-sided beat downs didn’t gather a ton of PPVs, he’s now regarded as one of the best fighters of all time.
Many believe that “Mighty Mouse” can still hang with the best flyweight fighters in the world, but here’s why the UFC legend retired from MMA at 38…
Demetrious Johnson Reveals Why He Didn’t Find Mixed Martial Arts Fun Anymore
In a YouTube interview recorded before his official announcement, Johnson talked about his retirement from MMA with Merab Dvalishvili. Right away, he mentioned that MMA isn’t fun for him anymore and he prefers competing in Jiu-Jitsu over it.
Training and fulfillment are also two major reasons why Johnson retired despite being the reigning ONE flyweight MMA champ. He didn’t gain contentment from fighting because he was barely learning anything by spending 25 minutes or fewer in the cage with opponents.
“I’m not going to fight anymore. And the reason why is, um, I don’t find mixed martial arts fun anymore. Reason why is because I find more fulfillment in doing Jiu-Jitsu because I feel it’s harder. I find more fulfillment in helping and training with different people.”
Instead, “Mighty Mouse” will now try to master his BJJ which he claims to be a tougher sport, and reap the benefits of training as a retired fighter. He believes athletes feel more secure about showcasing their abilities when there’s no threat of their training partner facing them in the future.
Here’s how he explained the concept using Dvalishvili’s example:
“If I ever wanted to feel, how does, I want to feel Merab’s gas tank. I want to see how good he is. I want to feel his strength. The only way that would ever happen is if me and you were to fight each other. If I was a professional athlete, right, it would just never happen. But if I’m like, hey, I don’t care about winning. I don’t care about, you know, ever have an opportunity to fight you. Hey Merab, can I come train with you? Yeah, you’re like, Demetrious come train. And then when we train together, you’re not going to have like, I need to beat you, you’re trying to learn from me. I don’t know, I’ve never trained outside of training camp when I would fight.”
Based on these statements, it is safe to assume that Johnson will surely compete in specific martial arts like Jiu-Jitsu. However, it is unlikely that fans will ever get to see him mixing it all up inside a cage.
“Once I get ready for a fight and I beat somebody. It’s like, okay, I mean I beat him, I made this money, which is great. But I didn’t get to learn anything in that 25 minutes, if that makes sense.”
Demetrious Johnson has long cemented his place in the minds of MMA fans as one of the greatest of all time and the greatest flyweight the sport has ever seen.
Many in the MMA community are celebrating and reflecting on Johnson’s performances and accomplishments in the sport after he announced his retirement at ONE Championship’s event in Denver, Colorado on September 6.
Though the latter years of Johnson’s career saw him in Asia’s ONE Championship, he is best known as the inaugural and long-reigning king of the UFC’s flyweight division.
In an interview with John Morgan, UFC CEO Dana White was given his chance to react to the retirement of “Mighty Mouse.” White stated that he has long praised Johnson’s abilities, even claiming to be the former flyweight champ’s biggest defender.
“If you go back to when he was here, I was defending him from the fans,” White said. “Who’s defended Demetrious Johnson more than me? Good for him. Incredible career he had, and I’ve never had a problem with Demetrious Johnson.”
Demetrious Johnson ‘Absolutely’ Will Find Himself In UFC Hall Of Fame, Says Dana White
Johnson made his professional MMA debut in 2007, winning 10 straight before a loss to Brad Pickett. He then won four more fights, including his first two UFC matchups against Norifumi Yamamoto and Miguel Torres, before unsuccessfully challenging then-UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz in October 2011.
Johnson subsequently dropped to flyweight upon the UFC’s establishment of its 125-pound division in 2012, defeating Ian McCall and Joseph Benavidez to become the inaugural champion.
This would start Johnson’s six-year dominance over the weight class, going to defend the championship 11 straight times, setting a still-standing UFC record in the process.
Johnson lost the championship to Henry Cejudo at UFC 227 in August 2018 and was traded by the UFC to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren.
“Mighty Mouse” went on to win the ONE Flyweight Grand Prix in 2019 but was knocked out for the only time in his career against Adriano Moraes in their 2021 title fight. Johnson won their rematch in August 2022 to capture the ONE flyweight title.
The American defended the title in a trilogy fight with Moraes in May 2023 — the final fight of Johnson’s career and ONE’s debut in the US.
Though Johnson’s UFC run ended in the trade and in ONE Championship, White said that with his accomplishments, there is no doubt he’ll be in the UFC Hall of Fame.
The mixed martial arts career of UFC and ONE Championship legend Demetrious Johnson has reached its conclusion.
Johnson officially announced his retirement from the sport of MMA following 15 months of uncertainty. His final appearance was a headline victory at ONE Fight Night 10, the Asian promotion’s United States debut in May 2023.
After outpointing Adriano Moraes in their trilogy to keep hold of the ONE flyweight title, “Mighty Mouse” hinted that the victory may have marked his farewell.
That has ultimately turned out to be the case, with Johnson confirming his decision to hang up the gloves by delivering an emotional speech in front of his family and adoring fans at Friday’s ONE 168 event at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
ONE chairman Chatri Sityodtong also entered the Circle to announce Johnson as the first inductee into the organization’s Hall of Fame.
Hear what Demetrious Johnson had to say at ONE 168: Denver 🗣️
Before finding success in ONE Championship, where he secured Grand Prix and title glory, Johnson established himself as one of the greatest of all time during a record-breaking reign in the UFC.
While competing on MMA’s biggest stage, “Mighty Mouse” ruled over the 125-pound division for six years, making 11 consecutive successful defenses after becoming the inaugural UFC flyweight champ in 2012.
From his so-far unmatched streak of defenses to individual moments such as the suplex armbar he used to submit Ray Borg and flying knee that exacted revenge on Moraes, not many will depart the sport with a legacy as illustrious as Johnson’s.
When Demetrious Johnson was the UFC flyweight champion, the division suffered to some degree because of how dominant he was.
No one could knock “Mighty Mouse” off the top spot and that gave his fights a feeling of predictability, because he was levels above all challengers.
After he left the UFC following his loss to Henry Cejudo, the division became a lot more competitive and after title reigns from Cejudo, Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno, a new champion has started to make his mark at 125 pounds.
Alexandre Pantoja has produced back-to-back title defenses since becoming champion at UFC 290 last year and the flyweight GOAT believes that the Brazilian is here to stay.
Demetrious Johnson Says Alexandre Pantoja Was Underappreciated, Doesn’t See Him Losing The Title Soon
In a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, Johnson gave his thoughts on the man that currently holds the title that once belonged to him.
The current flyweight king in ONE Championship is a big fan of Pantoja and said that he has been for a long time, after feeling like he was underappreciated for many years.
“I think he’s great. Alex Pantoja, I’ve always felt he’s been a dark horse at the beginning of his career in the UFC… I just felt, well to begin with, I feel like the flyweight division always had a hard time picking up any traction. This isn’t something new, I mean even when I was a champion in the UFC, it wasn’t the most popular in the whole roster of the UFC and I think Alex Pantoja, he came into The Ultimate Fighter, he didn’t win The Ultimate Fighter, Tim Elliott ended up winning it.”
As he stated, Pantoja made his way into the promotion through The Ultimate Fighter where if he had won the series, he would’ve challenged Johnson for the title.
Many have expected for a long time that Nurmagomedov just needed the opportunity to show that he was an elite level talent and that finally happened him for on Saturday night.
He was left very impressed by Nurmagomedov’s performance and believes that he should be the next in line to face the winner of the upcoming title fight.
“Mighty Mouse” spoke about how either option of O’Malley or Dvalishvili taking on Nurmagomedov in a title defense makes for an engaging match-up.
Whichever way it ends up unfolding, Johnson is excited to now have another name in the mix at the top end of bantamweight.
“I like him [Nurmagomedov] taking him [O’Malley] to the ground, I don’t think he’ll be able to get Merab down, I’m not sure. But, I think this match-up, whoever wins this one fighting Umar, I think it’s the right thing to do and I can’t wait to see all three of these guys get the opportunity to lock horns each other or one of them fights the other one.”
