Demetrious Johnson, known as one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever, made the decision to retire during a ONE Championship event in Denver on Sept. 6. After a successful 15-year career in professional fighting, Johnson capped it off with a win over Adriano Moraes to defend his ONE flyweight title, which ultimately led to his retirement. Johnson mentioned that his love for the sport had waned and he wanted to shift his focus to Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions and other interests beyond fighting.
Having trained at AMC Pankration in Washington under the guidance of head coach Matt Hume, Johnson accomplished a great deal, including winning titles in both the UFC and ONE. He shared that the excitement he once felt for mixed martial arts had diminished and he is excited to explore training with various coaches and fighters now that he is no longer competing actively. Johnson stressed his eagerness to continue growing as a martial artist through grappling competitions and working with athletes from his generation.
