Whenever there’s a list of the ultimate GOATs in the UFC, fans are quick to name-drop legends like Jon Jones, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Anderson Silva, and a few others. But amidst all these icons, one name that often gets overlooked is the Flyweight GOAT, Demetrious Johnson. It’s been a while since Johnson left the UFC. After his departure, he continued to grace the octagon in ONE Championship, where he showed the same brilliance that made him a legend. But now, Mighty Mouse has officially hung up his gloves from the sport that was fortunate enough to witness his greatness. And true to form, he didn’t just walk away—exited as a Hall of Famer.
It absolutely caught everyone off guard when the UFC icon and former ONE Flyweight Champion revealed his retirement during ONE 168 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. The 38-year-old superstar has exited the sport while still at the top, much like GSP.
At the time of his retirement, he held the bantamweight championship in ONE. And while the organization wanted him to leave the belt inside the cage, he refused to do so in true Johnson fashion.
After his heartfelt retirement speech, full of gratitude and reflections on his career, Chairman Chatri Sityodtong recognized Mighty Mouse’s massive impact on the sport. He announced that Demetrious Johnson would be the first-ever inducted into the ONE Hall of Fame, honoring his legacy as one of the greatest fighters.
Khabib Nurmagomedov Hails Demetrious Johnson As The Ultimate GOAT
Despite his dominance in the division, he doesn’t always get the recognition he deserves from fans. With an impressive 25-4-1 record, his career speaks volumes about his legendary status. Most of his fights took place in the UFC, where he defeated stars like Henry Cejudo and Tim Elliott. In ONE Championship, he competed six times, winning five bouts and losing just one. Building a career like this is no easy feat. As he retires, Khabib Nurmagomedov took to Instagram to praise DJ.
Regarding his retirement, Khabib Nurmagomedov posted an Instagram story reacting to the news. In his story, he shared a picture of himself with a caption that read: “One of the best ever to did this.” Not just Khabib Nurmagomedov but Belal Muhammad, Michael Bisping, and many other stars have also reacted and paid their respects, giving him the recognition he truly deserves.
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As the saying goes, you can take the athlete out of the sport, but you can’t take the sport out of the athlete. Proving the same, Mighty Mouse has stated that while he no longer competes in MMA, he plans to continue practicing Jiu-Jitsu.
