On Friday, September 6, Demetrious Johnson hung up his four-ounce gloves and retired from MMA. At ONE 168: Denver, Johnson gave a speech to fans around the world announcing his decision. It was not a decision, however, that came spur of the moment.
“I knew I was going to retire after I fought Adriano the third time after I did the press conference. I had my kids. I was walking, and I was like, ‘Damn, is this what my life is right here? Is this it?’ And I was like, ‘I’m gonna take a year off, keep on training, and see if I miss it.’ Because I didn’t want to be the athlete who just retires and I’m back home and I’m training, and I’m like ‘Oh man, I wish I could unretire. I wanna come back and fight.’ And then come back out of retirement and fight again,” Johnson told ONE.
Johnson said he set a New Year’s resolution to not compete in 2024 and use his other gifts to build his brand. In 2024, he dedicated himself to his YouTube channel and podcast, MightyCast. Given his age and how Father Time is undefeated, Johnson knew now was the right time to call it a career.
“It was a little bit [of a sigh of relief]. I knew already that I was in that chapter in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I know I’m gonna miss it because I know I can still fight, but there comes a point in time where the athlete just goes, ‘I’m done. I don’t wanna stay too long at the party.’ I just wanna enjoy what I’ve done and walk away. And I talked to a lot of guys – GSP was one. He was like, ‘There’s always gonna be another guy.’ That’s why he retired. Urijah Faber, he was like, ‘We only get a short amount of time in our life where we could be a professional athlete and fight at the highest level.’ So it is pretty hard, but I am relieved to be able to say I’m finally done,” the MMA legend remarked.
While he was content just to take a back seat and never make a real announcement, he was talked into a public appearance. ONE Championship has given its platform to retiring athletes such as Angela Lee, honoring their contribution to martial arts. After his emotional speech inside the Circle, the 38-year-old was happy he took the time to give back to his fans one more time.
“For me, I was gonna do it kinda silently, but after talking to Chatri [Sityodtong], talking to my wife, they were like, ‘Well, it’s not always about you. It’s about your fans.’ And I’m grateful I did it the way I did. I think the package that ONE Championship and Chatri put together was absolutely amazing,” Johnson stated.
In the end, there are many ways to honor Johnson’s career. His rise as one of the premier stars of the lighter weights, the championship wins, his jaw-dropping submission over Ray Borg, and so much more highlight his incredible career. Still, Johnson wants to be known for being a continual learner and consummate professional.
“I’ve never thought about my legacy. [I’m a] hard worker. I’d probably say from what I’ve achieved in mixed martial arts, I’d say I’m the easiest athlete to work with. Never failed a drug test. Every single time USADA came to me, I made it happen. I always showed up when I fought. So, I would say a hard worker, a great athlete, and a good student,” Johnson said.
