'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAv/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAySaGf//EACIQAAEDAwMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwQABREGFFESIoGT4f/aAAgBAQABPwCzPW8tO3HewRckN5c6wEUQ1XCAijwPcXmt1zEg+j7X/8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEQD/2gAIAQIBAT8AC//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAIAQMBAT8Af//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Mixed martial arts legend, former ONE Championship and UFC flyweight king, and now-retired athlete 'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson contemplated just fizzling away into silence, announcing his retirement nonchalantly.
But ONE Championship doesn't do nonchalant in their legend send-offs, and they weren't going to start changing things with a man considered by many to be the greatest to ever do it.
Speaking to the media at the official ONE 168: Denver post-event press conference, Johnson thanked ONE for the amazing and emotional tribute in the circle.
Trending
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
'Mighty Mouse' said:
"I knew, well you never truly know what I feel like. For me, I was gonna do it kinda silently, but you know after talking to Chatri, 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, you know, the package that ONE Championship and Chatri put together was absolutely amazing."
ONE Championship has had a knack for putting on emotionally charged tributes to retiring fighters, and the latest with Demetrious Johnson would have had any longtime fan choked up.
Fans in the United States and Canada can catch a replay of ONE 168: Denver on demand via an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
What's next for Demetrious Johnson?
'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson may be done with mixed martial arts, but he isn't done with competing.
The 38-year-old American legend will now shift his focus to competing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, after having recently been awarded his black belt.
Johnson's meteoric rise to greatness in MMA has been well-documented. No one has had the unique combination of raw talent, skill, technique, and work ethic that 'Mighty Mouse' has displayed in his entire career, and he plans to bring all that into his time in BJJ.
Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Demetrious Johnson's grappling career.
