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Demetrious Johnson is the newly crowned ONE flyweight champion. While his days as an active fighter on the UFC roster have long been over, 'Mighty Mouse' still poses a strong argument to be considered the greatest flyweight in the world.
Even at 36 years old, Johnson hasn't slowed down and the marriage between his technical supremacy and physical powers remains as impressive as ever. While UFC President Dana White is eager to scrub the UFC clean of the memory of Demetrious Johnson, the former UFC flyweight champion's greatness has been and remains impossible to ignore.
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Not only is Johnson well-rounded, but he is an actual master in every facet of mixed martial arts as opposed to being a mere jack of all trades. So, in honor of his recent win over Adriano Moraes at ONE on Prime Video 1, this list details the 5 reasons why 'Mighty Mouse' is still the best flyweight in the world.
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#5. Demetrious Johnson's championship mettle
One of the hallmarks of an all-time great mixed martial artist is their overall performance in championship fights. This is why observers often point out that Jon Jones has more wins in UFC title fights than Khabib Nurmagomedov has UFC wins when discussions about a pound-for-pound list in MMA arise.
Similarly, one of the reasons Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre are so revered is their performances in UFC title fights.
However, one fighter surpasses them all in their pursuit of championship glory: Demetrious Johnson. Not only does 'Mighty Mouse' own the record for the most consecutive UFC title defenses with 11, but he has also captured two world championships in another premier MMA organization, ONE FC.
Furthermore, Johnson also holds a win over reigning Rizin bantamweight champion Kyoji Horiguchi and former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo.
Statistically, Johnson has far superior championship performances than every other flyweight given his title defense record and his victories over other champions, both from the UFC and other promotions.
#4. ONE FC's lower divisions are competitive
While the general consensus is that a disproportionate number of the world's best fighters are in the UFC, ONE FC offers competition in the lower weight classes. Specifically, the fighters below the promotion's welterweight division are fairly talented and skilled.
ONE FC's lightweights, featherweights, bantamweights, and flyweights can compete in the UFC. A good indicator of ONE FC's quality is the fact that Adriano Moraes became the first fighter to finish Johnson.
During his UFC run, Johnson was nearly unbeatable, losing only twice. He lost to Dominick Cruz after outstriking the bantamweight GOAT, forcing him to use his size advantage to outwrestle him.
His other loss was to Henry Cejudo in a controversial split-decision that many still consider to have been wrong. Prior to his rematch with Moraes, the Brazilian was a 20-3 fighter who greatly outsized Johnson by standing at 5 feet 8 inches tall with a wingspan of 69 inches.
Yet, Demetrious Johnson bested him nonetheless, KO'ing him with a brutal knee to claim victory over a fighter large enough to fight at featherweight.
#3. 'Mighty Mouse' is a master of his trade
When talk of fighters being well-rounded arises, observers often confuse being competent at striking while possessing an arsenal of takedowns and submissions as an indicator.
Thus, mixed martial artists like Tony Ferguson are often confused for being well-rounded, however, much of what he does is not consequential. Meanwhile, Demetrious Johnson's arsenal is consequential as he uses his strikes to create openings for his wrestling and vice versa.
Not only is 'Mighty Mouse' consequential, he's an inventive master of his chosen fighting style in a way that no other fighter at flyweight is. A prime example of his mastery and creativity is the armbar he used to defeat Ray Borg at UFC 216.
Standing behind Borg, Johnson had a bodylock before lifting his foe into the air for a suplex. Halfway through, with Borg still airborne, Demetrious Johnson released his grasp.
As Ray Borg instinctively spread his arms out in search of balance, Johnson quickly hooked his arms around Borg's left arm and threw his legs over his foe's torso as he landed on the mat.
The armbar was secured and while Borg initially resisted, 'Mighty Mouse' would not be denied. He hyperextended his opponent's arm until Borg tapped out to a maneuver one is more likely to see in a heavily choreographed action film than an MMA fight.
#2. Johnson is still the best striker at flyweight
Fighters like Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno are skilled strikers in their own right, with the Brazilian being a sniping power puncher and 'The Assassin Baby' being a gritty boxer. But there remains no better striker at flyweight than Demetrious Johnson.
A stance-switching master of distance and footwork, 'Mighty Mouse' is unique in his ability to be equally effective at countering off the backfoot as he is at pressuring his foes.
He maintains a crucial distance, never lengthening his range so much that he's at risk of being pressed against the cage against an opponent eager to pressure. Nor does he cut distance so foolishly that he's in a position to be countered on his way inside.
Johnson is notoriously difficult to strike with due to his evasiveness. Even Dominick Cruz, known for his evasiveness, struggled against 'Mighty Mouse's clever footwork and distance management.
Whether he's jabbing or kicking foes at range, using lateral movement to misdirect opponents or smothering their punches to stifle knockout artists from imposing themselves on him, Demetrious Johnson is well-suited for every possible variable in the striking phase of combat.
#1. Johnson is the most successful finisher in UFC flyweight history
While much is made of Deiveson Figueiredo's skills as a finisher, largely due to the Brazilian's fearsome punching power and airtight chokes, Demetrious Johnson is tied with him as the most successful finisher in UFC flyweight history. He has seven finishes despite not possessing the Brazilian's athletic gifts and size.
Furthermore, despite both fighters sharing the record, 'Mighty Mouse' is a more successful finisher in the overall flyweight division, UFC and otherwise.
Deiveson Figueiredo flaunts 17 finishes in total, whereas Demetrious Johnson boasts 18. Additionally, Johnson's success as a finisher is more impressive given his size disadvantage compared to most of his foes.
On the other hand, the Brazilian often enjoys a size and power advantage over all of his opponents. In ONE FC, 'Mighty Mouse' finished both Yuya Wakamatsu and Adriano Moraes, both of whom are larger than even Figueiredo himself.
