Demetrious Johnson on One Championship title shot, and why Israel Adesanya is his fighter of the year
- ‘Mighty Mouse’ returns to challenge Adriano Moraes for flyweight title in Chongqing on April 11
- Johnson says he’s been cleared of serious intestinal condition that hindered training camps and fight weeks in 2019
Most MMA fans and media agreed on the same names when it came to conversations about fighter of the year.
Jorge Masvidal, Israel Adesanya and Henry Cejudo were the usual suspects after their title-winning exploits in the UFC in 2019. One other familiar name perhaps deserved to be in the frame, at least.
Demetrious Johnson tore his way through One Championship’s flyweight division during his first year in the Asian MMA organisation, after his highly anticipated move from the UFC, where he had racked up records and dominated the Octagon.
Still considered the pound-for-pound “GOAT” (greatest of all time) by many, Johnson (30-3-1) dispatched taller, rangier Japanese opponents Yuya Wakamatsu and Tatsumitsu Wada to reach the final of One’s flyweight grand prix. He beat Team Lakay’s Danny Kingad in Tokyo to claim his rather hefty grand prix title belt.
“I’m not really worried about if I was considered fighter of the year,” Johnson told the Post, however.