Demetrious Johnson reveals his “most watched fight” in ONE Championship

American mixed martial arts legend Demetrious Johnson took on Thai superstar Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a mixed-rules superfight in March last year, which he revealed to be the most watched fight he has had to date in ONE Championship.

‘Mighty Mouse’ shared this in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. The reigning ONE flyweight world champion said:

“Like to this day, even Chatri [Sityodtong] said it, my fight against Rodtang has been the most watched fight under ONE Championship’s whole library, right?”

Watch the interview below:

The Johnson-Rodtang superfight took place at ONE X on March 26, 2022, which was part of the stacked offering to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ONE Championship. Demetrious Johnson won by submission in the second round.

The superfight was under special rules, with the four-round engagement played alternately between ONE Super Series Muay Thai rules and ONE’s global ruleset for MMA. The order was Muay Thai-MMA-Muay Thai-MMA. Each fighter used four-ounce MMA-style gloves.

Demetrious Johnson promised to stand toe-to-toe with ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion Rodtang in the striking-only part of their showdown and delivered accordingly.

‘Mighty Mouse’ was able to withstand the barrage of strikes that Rodtang threw at him just as he broke the Thai’s defense with body shots and a straight-cross combination before the end of the opening round.

In the second round, Demetrious Johnson capitalized on his MMA experience, not wasting time going for a takedown. When he found the leverage he needed to go for the finish, he went for it. He hung on Rodtang’s back and employed a rear-naked choke from which the Thai star had no choice but to tap out at the 2:13 mark of the stanza.

While he won the fight, ‘Mighty Mouse’ still heaped praise to ‘The Iron Man’ for taking on the challenge and putting up a good showing, which fight fans enjoyed.

Both Demetrious Johnson and Rodtang were part of ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video, which was ONE Championship’s historic first live on-ground event in the United States on May 5. The two successfully defended their respective ONE world titles.

Replay of ONE Fight Night 10 is available for free via Amazon Prime in North America.