Demetrious Johnson reveals his favorite fighter from PRIDE

ONE flyweight world champion ‘Mighty Mouse’ Demetrious Johnson recently revealed his favorite all-time PRIDE fighter in history.

PRIDE was a Japanese-based MMA promotion that operated from the early 1990s to the late 2000s. One can still find hundreds of footage online, ranging from the legendary early matches between Nobuhiko Takada vs. Rickson Gracie to Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic vs. Wanderlei Silva II.

As a precursor to major sporting promotions like ONE Championship, PRIDE literally changed the landscape of MMA and how people watched mixed martial arts with their biggest stars. A young Demetrious Johnson felt the same impact decades ago and still carries the love and respect he has for its fighters and world champions.

But one fighter in particular stood out to him the most. Answering a fan question on Reddit, Johnson revealed his favorite fighter from PRIDE:

[Image captured from Reddit]

Croatian kickboxer and former 2006 Pride World Openweight Grand Prix Champion Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic has left an incredible mark on MMA. He put kickboxing on the map with his signature left high kicks, indestructible takedown defense, and knockout power.

His last fight was back in February 2019 before retiring the following month due to health reasons. Leaving a significant legacy of 78 wins, 8 losses, and 31 knockouts, ‘Mirko Cro Cop’ is still considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.

Following in his footsteps, Demetrious Johnson is also working to leave a lasting legacy in MMA with his third world title showdown against Adriano Moraes at ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video on May 5 at the 1stBank Center in Colorado.

All ONE Fight Night events will be broadcast live and for North American audiences via Prime Video.