The iconic mixed martial artist Demetrious Johnson has officially announced his retirement from the sport at ONE Championship 168 on Friday. Shortly after his announcement, the “Mighty Mouse” was named as the first inductee into the ONE Championship Hall of Fame. Johnson’s incredible career also included significant successes in the UFC and now the UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that Demetrious will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as well.
White is all praise for the Mighty Mouse
During an interview with Grind City Media, Dana White expressed his admiration for Demetrious Johnson. Reacting to the news of Johnson’s retirement, White said, “Good for him. Incredible career he had. I never had a problem with Demetrious Johnson.” When the UFC CEO was asked if Johnson would enter the UFC Hall of Fame, White clearly said, “Absolutely.” Johnson’s accomplishments in the UFC establish him as one of the greatest fighters in history. He became the first UFC flyweight champion and defended his championship 11 consecutive times, making him the most dominant champion in the promotion’s history.
Johnson had a remarkable run in both ONE Championship and UFC
Despite his impressive accomplishments, Demetrious’ UFC journey ended in 2018 when he was traded to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren. Although his exit from the UFC marked the end of an era, “Mighty Mouse” continued his stunning run in the ONE Championship, capturing the flyweight championship and winning the ONE Flyweight Grand Prix. One of the most noteworthy wins during this time came against Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a mixed-rules fight in 2022.
Also Read: O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili get into heated verbal exchange in UFC BTS video
Dana White also addressed the notion that Johnson didn’t get the recognition he deserved during his stint with the UFC. Dana recalled his time defending Johnson, particularly when the flyweight division was struggling to gain the attention of fans. “Listen, if you go back to when he was here, I was defending him from the fans,” said White.
Demetrious Johnson retired at the age of 38 with a stunning record of 34-4-1, losing only to Dominick Cruz, Henry Cejudo, Adriano Moraes and Brad Pickett throughout his MMA career. Although his retirement marks the end of a legendary chapter, his legacy as a Hall of Famer in both the ONE Championship and the UFC is solidified.
