Daniel Cormier appreciates Demetrious Johnson.
Johnson, a former UFC flyweight champion who defended the title 11 times, announced his retirement from MMA during the ONE 168 broadcast this past week. “Mighty Mouse” (25-4-1) called it a career as the ONE Championship flyweight (135 pounds) title holder.
ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong named Johnson as the first inductee into the ONE Championship Hall of Fame, and UFC CEO Dana White said Johnson will also have a place in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Cormier thinks Johnson’s character should be praised as much as his in-cage achievements.
“I think what spoke the truest to Demetrious Johnson, he left to ONE FC and finished his career there,” Cormier said on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen. “We did the best fighters of all time, and he was sitting right up on that stage with us breaking down fighters because he gets respect. That’s one of the hardest things in the world to get, especially when you’re dealing with a whole bunch of alpha personalities in the sport, to be universally respected. Demetrious Johnson is universally respected, not only as a fighter but as the father, as the husband.
“He’s a great guy that truly does deserve all the credit and accolades and everything he’s going to get in this next phase of his career. And he’s a guy – he’s small, but he don’t take no stuff. That big body building YouTuber was like, ‘I’ll grapple DJ,’ and DJ goes and submits him. Demetrious will beat on you. So many great memories inside the octagon, but he also made great memories outside the octagon, and he’s building a great future for himself. So congratulations, Demetrious Johnson, one of the greatest champions the UFC has ever seen.”
Johnson, who was ranked No. 3 on MMA Junkie’s 30 Greatest UFC Fighters of All Time list, competed in his final MMA fight in May 2023 – a trilogy against Adriano Moraes. He successfully defended his ONE flyweight title by unanimous decision.