MMA legend Demetrious Johnson surprised everyone by announcing his retirement in the recently concluded ONE 168: Denver event. Johnson, 38, had been out of action from the MMA circuit for quite some time now, and many hoped he would be returning for more fights soon. However, the flyweight kingpin announced his retirement in a teary-eyed emotional speech. The current Interim ONE Strawweight World Champion Jarred Brooks, who previously showed his interest in taking on ‘Mighty Mouse,’ took time to appreciate the legend.

He took to his Instagram account to share a message that read, “Happy retirement to the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. I am truly thankful for everything he has displayed in his career and gave people like me a reason to start. I am heartbroken I don’t get a chance to go at it with him and share the circle. But hopefully, we can grapple at some point in @onechampionship! Nothing but respect! Happy retirement, enjoy your family, mighty”. Let us look at Johnson’s illustrious MMA career as he became the first fighter to get inducted into the ONE Championship Hall Of Fame. 

A closer look at what Demetrious Johnson achieved in his illustrious MMA career 

Demetrious Johnson made his presence felt in Denver when he walked toward the ring holding his title. However, very few knew this would be the last time he would stand in the middle of the Circle as the ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion. Johnson made the surprise announcement and said, “Like I said last time when I came to Denver, Colorado, I told you guys it was potentially my last fight, and I was not lying. I am done. I am done competing in mixed martial arts, and I want to thank you guys so much for giving me the opportunity,”.

‘Mighty Mouse’ couldn’t hold back his tears as he thanked his family members for his achievements in the sport. ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityotdong presented Johnson with a ONE Hall of Fame trophy. 

Johnson is one of those rare fighters who has held a title in two of the biggest fighting promotions on the planet. Johnson held the flyweight belt between 2012 and 2018 in the UFC and was involved in 11 straight title defenses. However, he then decided to challenge himself a bit more and shifted to ONE Championship.

‘Mighty Mouse’ made his presence felt by winning six out of his seven fights in ONE Championship, winning both the ONE Flyweight MMA World Grand Prix and the divisional crown. For a career spanning over 30 fights, Johnson has been knocked out only once by Adriano Moraes in their first meeting – his only loss in the world’s largest martial arts organization. 

However, the 38-year-old settled the score with the Brazilian and won the next two fights against him. He was last seen in action in 2023 at ONE Fight Night 10, which now turns out to be his final fight in MMA. During his announcement, Johnson clarified that he had found a new love for grappling and would be competing in jiu-jitsu competitions. It seems Jarred Brooks will have to start competing there to fulfill his wish. 

Will Jarred Brooks ever challenge Demetrious Johnson in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? 

Johnson’s legendary career in MMA makes him an idol for many fighters. One such fighter is Jarred Brooks, who has been trying to get the attention of the 38-year-old. During one of his interviews with ONE Championship, ‘The Monkey God’ showed his interest in testing himself against the best in the world. He said, “DJ is the main fight, period. I have nothing but respect for him. The way that I have been calling out, it can seem like it is disrespectful, but you’ve got to sell fights too,”. However, with Johnson announcing his retirement, he will now wish to face him in a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu clash. 

Johnson recently participated in the IBJJF World Masters Championship tournament, where he debuted as a black belter. The 38-year-old previously won the tournament as a brown belt and planned to do the same this time around as well. ‘Mighty Mouse’ started the tournament with a bang, winning his first three fights. However, he failed to get past the challenge of Tomoya Yanagisawa, who made him tap out. Johnson is now geared up for his next challenge in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and will look to achieve the same success as he did in MMA. 

Jarred Brooks is currently focusing on his next opponent, Joshua Pacio, who is recovering from an injury. But it will be interesting to see whether he decides to test himself against Johnson in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or not. Do you think the pair can ever face each other in their career? Let us know about it in the comments below.