Demetrious Johnson isn't officially retired from MMA, but it may be a while before we see him compete again — if we do at all.
Johnson, a 12-time UFC flyweight champion and the current ONE Championship flyweight title-holder, has not fought since he defended his belt with a unanimous decision win over Brazilian rival Adriano Moraes in May, 2023.
While he has been active in Brazilian jiu jitsu competition since then, his long absence from MMA has led some fans to speculate he is done competing in the sport.
Johnson clarified the situation on a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast.
"I’m not officially retired," he said. "I’m just saying mixed martial arts is not my mind right now."
Johnson went on to explain that, while he still trains every day, he doesn't train for MMA specifically, and in fact has barely hit pads in the last year and a half. His main focus, he said, has been jiu jitsu.
"I don’t train MMA," he said. "I train martial arts, but it’s jiu jitsu.
While Johnson is not currently focused on MMA, he is still under contract with ONE, and would be open to returning the sport if the right offer comes along.
In that event, he's optimistic he can still get back to the highest level of competition.
"If someone came through and was like ‘hey man, do you want to do this fight?’ I’d be like sure, why not," he said. "I still train every day."
"I can get back to the highest level."
Johnson's last three MMA fights have all been against Moraes in ONE Championship. He lost their first encounter after suffering a shocking knockout in one of the biggest upsets of 2021, but rebounded with back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2023 — first a knockout of his own, then a decision.
His three-fight series with Moraes was interspersed by a special rules showdown with Muay Thai champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon, who he defeated by second-round submission.
He ruled over the UFC flyweight division from 2012 to 2018, defeating the best opposition available in emphatic fashion during that time. He finally surrendered the belt with a controversial split-decision loss to Henry Cejudo in 2018, and was subsequently traded to ONE in exchange for welterweight star Ben Askren.
He is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time, and is at the top of the list in the eyes of many fans.
