'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jarred Brooks has long called for a super fight against his mixed martial arts inspiration, Demetrious Johnson, but this past weekend, he sent his best wishes after the MMA legend announced his retirement.
Johnson officially retired from MMA during ONE 168: Denver at Ball Arena, a stunning announcement that the combat sports world unanimously respected.
One of those celebrating was Brooks.
The ONE interim strawweight MMA world champion took to Instagram to congratulate Johnson on his next chapter.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Jarred Brooks, however, kept his dreams of a super fight against the exiting ONE flyweight MMA world champion, but this time under the submission grappling realm.
Trending
He posted:
"Happy retirement to the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. I am truly thankful for everything he has displayed in his career and gave people like me a reason to start. I am heartbroken I didn’t get a chance to go at it with him and share the Circle. But hopefully, we can grapple at some point in @onechampionship! Nothing but respect! Happy retirement enjoy your family mighty."
Brooks has been calling Johnson out for a super fight in ONE Championship, but such a match never came to fruition.
Nevertheless, Brooks could ultimately face off against Johnson in submission grappling.
Both fighters recently received their Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, and Johnson even hinted that he wants to compete under submission grappling in ONE Championship.
Jarred Brooks says he's always idolized Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most influential fighters ever, and smaller fighters tended to gravitate towards the American icon.
One of those fighters was Jarred Brooks.
The ONE interim strawweight MMA world champion was never shy in expressing his admiration of Johnson, and he doubled down on that when he beat Gustavo Balart at ONE Fight Night 24 this August.
Brooks said in his post-fight press conference after claiming the interim strap:
"Demetrious Johnson was somebody that I was watching on TV at Buffalo Wild Wings, winning a world title in 2012, thinking that, hey, that could be me one day and luckily, I believed in myself enough to end up getting into the UFC. I was that close to where I was going to fight him."
