Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, who recently turned 38, declared his retirement from MMA while still signed with ONE Championship.
Johnson holds several flyweight records in the UFC and ranks third in all-time championship wins, trailing behind Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre.
When discussing Johnson’s potential induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, UFC CEO Dana White expressed his support, commenting, “Absolutely. Incredible career he had. I never had a problem with Demetrious Johnson.” White attributed Johnson’s lack of pay-per-view success to MMA fans.
In a significant swap in 2018, Johnson was traded to ONE Championship for Ben Askren. During his time with ONE Championship, Johnson achieved a 5-1 record with a few finishes and secured a championship title. Conversely, Askren struggled in the UFC with a 1-2 record and faced a defeat against Jorge Masvidal before transitioning to boxing against Jake Paul, indicating that ONE Championship may have come out ahead in the trade deal.
