“You can still fight” - Demetrious Johnson recalls poignant conversation with Chatri Sityodtong about decision to retire

Demetrious Johnson revealed that Chatri Sityodtong was extremely supportive after he told the ONE Championship CEO that he wanted to hang up his gloves for good.

ONE Championship gave one of the greatest fighters of all time a fitting and beautiful tribute last September when 'DJ' bid farewell to MMA as a professional fighter at ONE 168 inside The Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

'Mighty Mouse' has been quite open about his amazing relationship with the ONE Chairman and CEO, which is built on mutual trust and respect.

When he first made the decision to sail off into the sunset, Demetrious Johnson recalled reaching out to Sityodtong.

"Even when it was time for me, when I decided to retire, I was honest and transparent," DJ shared in an interview with MMA Fighting.

While the ONE head honcho was initially saddened by Johnson's decision to retire, he ultimately gave 'Mighty Mouse' his blessing and even offered a new role for him with the company.

The former flyweight MMA world champion continued:

"I mean, he was honest and transparent with me, and he was like, ‘Man, I was really hoping you were going to come back and fight, I was hanging on, just because I know you're still young, you can still fight. I know you've always taken care of your body. I was really hoping to see you fight. But if your wish is to never fight again, then I am not in a position to force you to fight. And I would still love to have you around the company, help us build the brand and build the fighters and in the way you see fit, right?’ And I said, absolutely, I would love to."

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Demetrious Johnson says relationship with Chatri Sityodtong has always been good

Demetrious Johnson's connection with Chatri Sityodtong was a big reason for his smooth transition to ONE Championship.

The MMA GOAT candidate's ethos and values certainly aligned with the world's largest martial arts organization. It's also a big plus that 'DJ' said he could communicate with Sityodtong with full transparency.

The American legend told MMA Fighting:

“My relationship with Chatri has always been amazing. Other fighters can say differently, like they've never had a good conversation or relationship with Chatri, but each time Chatri and I ever talk, it's always been straightforward.”

Watch Demetrious Johnson's interview in its entirety: