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Reigning ONE flyweight MMA world champion Demetrious Johnson had a hell of a run at the 2024 IBJJF Pan Championships in Florida last week.
According to renowned mixed martial arts journalist Ariel Helwani, 'Mighty Mouse' took home the gold in the Master 2 featherweight division before picking up silver in the openweight tournament. Perhaps even more impressive was the fact that Johnson defeated an opponent who was a foot taller and outweighed him by at least 100 pounds.
"Demetrious Johnson just had an amazing day at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Pan American Championship," Helwani wrote on Instagram. "DJ, a brown belt, won gold in the master 2 featherweight division (154) and won silver in the open weight division. His first opponent in the latter competition was 6”3, 250. Final opponent was around 215."
"Perhaps what I love most about DJ is he is hands down one of the greatest ever. And yet, here he is on a Sunday in Florida with very few people in attendance just challenging (and at times humbling) himself in new competitive ways, when he really has nothing to prove anymore. And he does it with little pomp, circumstance or drawing attention to himself. Legend."
"His teammate and friend Bibiano Fernandes won gold in the black belt master 3 featherweight competition."
Demetrious Johnson's epic run in ONE Championship thus far
Making his ONE Championship debut in 2019 following a historic trade with the UFC, Demetrious Johnson immediately made an impact with the promotion, winning the ONE Flyweight MMA World Grand Prix Championship tournament with three straight wins over Yuya Wakamatsu, Tatsumitsu Wada and Danny Kingad.
That kickstarted an epic trilogy with former ONE world champion Adriano Moraes. After trading highlight-reel knockouts in their first two meetings, 'Mighty Mouse' secured a decisive decision victory over 'Mikinho' at ONE Fight Night 10 to retain the flyweight world title.
Since then, Demetrious Johnson has not yet returned to the Circle, though he has left the door open.
