Demetrious Johnson delighted by successful IBJJF Masters Worlds debut: “It turned out better than I expected” 

Demetrious Johnson proved one thing at last week's IBJJF Masters Worlds - that he can accomplish anything he has his eye and mind set on.

Wanting to dip his toes in a grappling tournament following his successful world title defense over Adriano Moraes at ONE Fight Night 10, ‘Mighty Mouse’ signed up for the event, which took place inside the Las Vegas Convention Center from August 31 to September 2.

Though he was paired against some of the best within the ranks of the 38-men bracket, the reigning ONE flyweight MMA world champion – beyond his wildest dreams – went all the way to finish his debut tournament with a gold medal.

Speaking on his medal-winning outing, Demetrious Johnson told FloGrappling:

“It turned out better than I expected, you know. 38-men bracket, single-man elimination. There’s no opportunity for mistakes.”

Watch the interview here:

While he did have to find a way past a couple of threats throughout his six-match run, the AMC Pankration and Evolve MMA athlete’s extensive no-gi experience, fight IQ, and superior athleticism helped him overcome some of the toughest opponents on the stage.

Throughout his six victories in Las Vegas, Nevada, Demetrious Johnson displayed his immersive submission knowledge and even gained an armbar submission on his way to the gold.

At the top of the podium, ‘Mighty Mouse’ received a stripe that gained him a second-degree brown belt, moving him one step closer to the desired black belt.

While the athlete himself hasn’t revealed anything in regard to his next step, a stint at ONE Championship’s submission grappling realm could be a plausible move, given his successful outing at the IBJJF Masters Worlds.