Chatri Sityodtong teases potential announcement from Demetrious Johnson at ONE 168
09/05/2024 09:00 AM
Is Demetrious Johnson ready to make a definitive decision about the future of his fighting career?
Over the past 16 months, the reigning ONE Championship flyweight champion has been mulling retirement or possibly coming back for one more fight but he hasn't said for certain which will happen. Johnson's main focus lately has been competing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments, building his YouTube channel and continuing to expand his businesses outside the sport.
He said just recently that he wasn't "officially retired" but admitted that MMA "is not on my mind right now."
ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong can't say with any certainty what Johnson is planning but he supports whatever decision the 38-year-old veteran makes.
"I talked to DJ nine months ago, six months ago and a month ago and I said hey, the ball's in your court," Sityodtong told MMA Fighting. "Whatever you want to do, we'll support it. Nine months ago, he called me 'hey Chatri, I want to make a run at gi jiu-jitsu, I want to try and compete in brown belt Worlds Masters.' He obviously won that world championship. He just competed in the black belt Masters last weekend and got to the quarterfinals, which is unbelievable.
"I mean think about his resume as a martial artist. He's an elite striker, an elite wrestler, an elite jiu-jitsu competitor and obviously the GOAT of mixed martial arts. But he is 38 and he's literally not sparred in 18 months. I'm not pushing him or anything but the ball's in his court. DJ's in Denver. So let's see what he says."
On Friday, ONE Championship lands in Denver for ONE 168, which is the Singapore based promotion's third card in the United States with a fourth planned in Atlanta in November.
Johnson is expected to attend the event as a special guest and Sityodtong teased that perhaps the former UFC champion will address his future during the show.
"I think DJ's in Denver for a reason," Sityodtong said. "I think people have got to ask him why he's in Denver. Maybe DJ's going to announce the biggest fight ever or maybe he's going to retire. I don't know but let's see."
Johnson has stated that for him to return to fighting, he would have to be enticed by the right opportunity.
Considering the long list of accomplishments that Johnson already has on his resume, Sityodtong understands why "Mighty Mouse" isn't really interested in just facing the next person in line for his flyweight title.
That's why Sityodtong believes it really comes down to finding a particular opponent that would draw Johnson's interest enough for him to fight again.
"It has to be a very big, big fight that would move the needle," Sityodtong said. "I don't think he could just take a regular fight, a regular title defense. It would have to be something very special. Something unique.
"Something like the special rules fight he did with Rodtang [Jitmuangno], something crazy like that, that would get him adrenaline and goosebumps and ready to go."
On the flipside, Sityodtong can't argue with Johnson if he ultimately decides to call it a career and retire with the record setting resume he's already built since first debuting back in 2006.
Johnson remains the longest reigning champion across any division in the UFC with 11 consecutive title defenses and that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his accomplishments.
He's also claimed the ONE Flyweight Grand Prix title and then became ONE flyweight champion with a stunning knockout over Adriano Moraes to avenge his own loss to the Brazilian from the previous year. Johnson has done just about everything he's ever wanted so Sityodtong understands if he just wants to hang up his gloves for good.
"The thing is he's been there, done that," Sityodtong said. "In the two largest organizations in the world, he's been there, done that. He's conquered the mountain of UFC and he's conquered the mountain of ONE. The only person to do so, which is just incredible.
"He's almost like those old Ronin warriors that would travel the world fighting anybody to prove that they're the best. He is very special. We all know DJ is very special."
