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Brandon Moreno had nothing but respect for ONE flyweight MMA world champion Demetrious Johnson after the MMA legend decided to call it a day at ONE 168: Denver.
'Mighty Mouse' announced his retirement during the live broadcast of ONE Championship's second on-ground spectacle inside Ball Arena last week, bringing an end to a glorious 16-year journey at the very helm of the all-encompassing discipline.
The AMC Pankration and Evolve MMA athlete is widely recognized as one of the all-time greats in the sport, and Moreno echoed a similar sentiment when asked about his thoughts on the legacy that Demetrious Johnson has built in MMA.
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Per the 30-year-old, there's only a handful of athletes who can come close to being considered a legend of the sport. And while Johnson's fights on the global stage have been a testament to that, the Mexican slugger notes that his personality away from the spotlight makes him a more incredible individual.
Here's what Moreno told Hablemos MMA, when asked about Demetrious Johnson's impact in MMA:
“Incredible. He’s a legend of the sport, and he’s at a bare minimum top five greatest of all time.”
He added:
"I actually had the opportunity to meet with him a few weeks ago. I trained with him. He’s an incredible person and [a] very cool, chill guy.”
Watch the full interview here:
Demetrious Johnson stacks praise on ONE Championship for giving him an 'absolutely amazing' send-off
Meanwhile, Demetrious Johnson lavished praise on the organization and ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for giving him the opportunity to bid farewell on the grandest stage possible at ONE 168: Denver.
The multi-time MMA world champion had this to say during the post-event press conference on September 6:
"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."
He added:
"I think, you know, the package that ONE Championship and Chatri put together was absolutely amazing."
