Demetrious Johnson.
D
emetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is a man that has been able to do it all. He’s earned multiple accolades, including 12 flyweight world championships, and he is widely considered the mixed martial arts (MMA0 world’s greatest of all time (GOAT).
“Mighty Mouse” has rarely tasted defeat in his incredible career, but one loss that still haunts him is the shock knockout he suffered at the hands of ONE flyweight world champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes at “ONE on TNT I” in April of last year.
Moraes put Johnson’s lights out with a devastating knee to the head in their world title tussle, crowning him the first fighter to score a knockout on the American veteran.
“DJ” will have the chance to earn some redemption against the Brazilian brawler when he steps into the Circle with him again at ONE 161: Moraes vs. Johnson II live on United States prime-time television on Aug. 26 – and fans can expect him to make the most of his opportunity.
“Mikinho” is up 1-0 in their rivalry, and he has had an abundance of success both fighting for and defending the divisional strap. But “Mighty Mouse” isn’t called the greatest of all time for nothing, and here we break down three reasons why he can take the win when these two superstars run it back.
#1 He is a finishing artist
“Mighty Mouse” has accumulated 30 wins over the course of his career, and 17 of those have come by either knockout or submission.
When Johnson made his ONE debut in 2019, he took on Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu at ONE: A NEW ERA and announced himself to the global fan base by finishing the Japanese star with a guillotine choke in the second round.
So, this man knows how to get the job done inside the Circle.
Read also: Adriano Moraes, Demetrious Johnson II headline ONE’s first Amazon Prime Video event
#2 He is dangerous everywhere
Johnson has proven that he has fire in his fists, knees and legs, counting knockouts with all three among his career finishes.
But he is also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu and a force on the mats. From kimuras to armbars to rear-naked chokes, “Mighty Mouse” is slick with submissions, and he can slip them on at a moment's notice.
The 35-year-old showcased how he's an all-around threat when he took on Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a special rules super-fight at ONE X in March. He stood up against the Muay Thai superstar in the first round, fought under Muay Thai rules, then finished his Thai rival by submission when the rules switched to mixed martial arts in the second frame.
#3 He has a ONE flyweight belt in his collection
Johnson counts the 2019 ONE flyweight world grand prix championship belt among his vast array of accolades. “Mighty Mouse” put in a series of stellar performances throughout the ground-breaking tournament to come out on top.
To earn the coveted silver belt, “Mighty Mouse” defeated three of ONE’s best flyweights: Yuya Wakamatsu, Tatsumitsu Wada and Danny Kingad.
Johnson went on to challenge Moraes for the ONE flyweight world title, having earned the opportunity by winning the grand prix – but he ultimately fell short in his pursuit of ONE gold.
The Washinton native has never stopped looking for a second chance, though. On Aug. 26, he’ll get it, and his global fan base should expect an MMA classic to go down.
Watch ONE 159 on July 22 in ONE Super App and subscribe to ONE Championship on YouTube!
This article is published in collaboration with ONE Championship.
