Demetrious Johnson stresses the importance of talking about difficult issues for better mental health: “It's okay to have ugly discussions”

Mixed martial arts legend and reigning ONE flyweight MMA world champion 'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson of the United States is one of the most experienced veterans in the fight game, winning multiple world titles as an MMA fighter and now as a jiu-jitsu black belt.

He's been through it all and would be the first to admit that reaching his heights requires not only a gargantuan physical effort but also immense mental capacity. Thus, 'Mighty Mouse' has stressed the importance of paying attention to mental health.

On his YouTube podcast, Mighty Cast, Johnson sat down with former ONE atomweight queen Angela Lee to discuss mental health and shared a detailed story about speaking to his father for the first time, a man he had never met.

'Mighty Mouse' said:

"Yeah. At the time, I never knew who my father was. Eventually, I got his Social Security number. On every single thing about him and I had the phone. I was holy ****, I'm 30. Years old. I have two children. I'm about to call this man I never met before in. My life. What? The I'm gonna say to him, it's. Okay to be. Vulnerable. It's okay to have ugly discussions. You guys should have hard discussions."

Johnson said the experience helped him heal his inner child and find peace in what had happened in his childhood.

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What's next for Demetrious Johnson?

'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson reigns supreme as the ONE flyweight MMA world champion. However, many competitors are nipping at his heels and want a piece of the MMA legend.

Among the fighters who are potentially on his radar are Australia's Reece 'Lightning' McLaren and newly crowned ONE interim strawweight MMA world champion The Monkey God Jarred Brooks.

Today, Johnson is content to focus on his budding jiu-jitsu career, advancing himself by winning tournaments. But the Washington native says he isn't done with MMA just yet and still leaves the door open on eventually returning to the Circle to defend his gold.