“So in hindsight, if I were to be under the UFC roster, I would probably be getting a rematch with Henry Cejudo,” Demetrious Johnson told MMA Fighting. “And if I was to beat Henry Cejudo then who knows what would have been next. If I would have lost to Henry Cejudo then I would be right where I was.
“So why not take the opportunity to get out of my contract? Go travel the world and compete somewhere else, right? I mean, I’ve done everything that… Close to everything that you possibly can in North America besides sell 2.5 million pay-per-views and do the double champ champ, or whatever it is. So for me, I think coming over here to Asia to fight in front of an audience that respects smaller weight classes… I wasn’t gonna pass it up.”
The first ever UFC flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson is back on Sunday, March 31. He’ll be making his ONE Championship debut in Tokyo, Japan against Yuya Wakamatsu at ONE: A New Era as the third fight on the seven-fight main card.
For Johnson, his historic UFC title reign spanned across six years and saw him defend his crown a record-setting 11 times.
Johnson’s last time out came at UFC 227 in August 2018 when he was dethroned by Henry Cejudo in their rematch. Since then, the former flyweight king has been recovering from some injuries while preparing for the ONE flyweight Grand Prix that he’s about to kick off.
It was no secret that during Johnson’s time as a UFC champion, he didn’t get the respect from the fans or his promotion that he perhaps rightfully deserved. He has already been vocal about feeling the difference in that regard with his new fighting home.
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/29/2019
Surging lightweight MMA prospect Adrian Lee was caught off guard when hearing his name mentioned by ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo. Upon reflection, however, the teenage phenom believes the grappling specialist may face more than anticipated when transitioning to mixed martial arts.
“The Phenom” boasts a perfect 3-0 professional record, securing each victory within the ONE Championship Circle. His most recent triumph came this past March at ONE 172, where he finished Takeharu Ogawa in the opening round.
British Muay Thai icon Liam Harrison possesses encyclopedic knowledge of the art of eight limbs in the United Kingdom. The veteran striker believes the moment is right for ONE Championship to make its debut on British shores.
Over the past five years, ONE Championship has recruited exceptional talent from across the UK. Athletes like ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty, Nico Carrillo, and George Jarvis have established themselves as elite competitors on the global stage.
Losing someone close to you is always difficult to process. Currently, former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker is grappling with grief after the passing of a young training partner.
Depression and suicide represent a growing crisis among youth worldwide. The Brazilian striker has experienced this tragedy firsthand following the devastating decision made by a youthful teammate to end his own life.
Former three-sport queen Stamp Fairtex isn’t wallowing in despair while recovering from her knee injury. As her body heals, the Thai superstar is strengthening her mind by pursuing higher education with a Master’s degree.
Earlier this year, the combat sports phenom earned her bachelor’s degree in Digital Marketing with an impressive 3.62 GPA. This achievement demonstrates her dedication to excellence beyond the ONE Championship Circle.
Japanese striking star Kaito Ono will finally make his promotional debut at ONE Friday Fights 109 as one of Japan’s most prolific strikers arrives on the scene.
He will step inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium against Iranian standout Mohammad Siasarani. Their fight happens under featherweight kickboxing action on Friday, 23 May.
Former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Hama continues to ascend the flyweight Muay Thai division. He took a huge step closer to the division’s summit this past weekend.
The striking great defeated #3-ranked flyweight Muay Thai contender Kongthoranee Sor Sommai by unanimous decision. It happened in the main event of ONE Fight Night 31 on Friday, 2 May, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Stadium.
Two-weight ONE World Champion Anatoly Malykhin has heaped praise on rival and former two-division king Reinier de Ridder. But not before reminding everyone of his own prowess.
De Ridder scored his third consecutive stoppage victory in the UFC this past Saturday, 3 May, putting an end to the surging Bo Nickal in the second round by TKO.
The injury bug continues to loom large for Stamp Fairtex.
ONE Championship has announced that the Thai megastar has relinquished the ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title after suffering a further setback while rehabbing her surgically repaired knee.
