Demetrious Johnson reveals the secret to his longevity in MMA: “I think it’s the time off”

Reigning ONE flyweight world champion ‘Mighty Mouse’ Demetrious Johnson has been in the fight game for a very long time. He’s considered a legend in the sport, and arguably the best to ever do it.

Johnson made his professional mixed martial arts debut in August 2009, winning by first-round rear-naked choke submission over Frankie Mendez at KOTC - Thunderstruck. He went on to win the UFC flyweight belt and defend it 11 times in succession – a promotional record. He then joined ONE Championship in 2019 to bring his talent to Asia.

This means ‘Mighty Mouse’ has run up a reign of dominance that spans nearly two decades. That’s a long time sitting at the top. In a recent guesting on Liam Harrison’s YouTube podcast, Johnson talked about the secret to his longevity.

‘Mighty Mouse’ said:

“Honestly for me, I think it’s the time off. Like I know that may sound crazy but prior to getting to this camp, I fought Adriano [Moraes] in August I believe. Then from August to November, I didn’t spar one bit. Didn’t spar, didn’t take any punch to the face, didn’t punch anyone in the face. I just worked on my grappling and stayed healthy and did conditioning.”

Catch the full interview below:

‘Mighty Mouse’ Demetrious Johnson will definitely need to punch someone in the face the next time he’s in the circle, as he’s scheduled to take on rival ‘Mikinho’ Adriano Moraes in an all important trilogy bout. The ONE flyweight world title will be on the line.

The two lock horns at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs Moraes III on Prime Video, which broadcasts live from 1stBank Center in Denver, Colorado on Friday, May 5. The event will stream free to fans in the United States and Canada via Amazon Prime.