Demetrious Johnson (fighter)

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Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson.jpg
Born (1986-08-13) August 13, 1986 (age 37)
Madisonville, Kentucky, U.S.
Other names Mighty Mouse, DJ
Nationality American
Height 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)[1]
Weight 125 lb (57 kg; 8 st 13 lb)
Division Flyweight
Reach 64.0 in (163 cm)[2]
Style Pankration, Wrestling
Fighting out of Parkland, Washington, United States
Team AMC Pankration
Trainer Matt Hume
Rank White belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[3][4][5]
Years active 2007 – present
Mixed martial arts record
Total 26
Wins 23
By knockout 4
By submission 9
By decision 10
Losses 2
By decision 2
Draws 1
Other information
Website Official UFC Profile
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Demetrious Khrisna Johnson[6] (born August 13, 1986) is an American mixed martial artist. He is the first and current Flyweight Champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and currently holds the longest active championship reign at 7 title defenses. At 5'3", he is also the shortest male fighter in the promotion. Known for his quick striking and elusive movement, Johnson has also landed the most takedowns in UFC Flyweight history and holds the record for the latest finish in UFC history with a submission win at 4:59 of the fifth round against Kyoji Horiguchi. He is also the only UFC fighter to record over 10 takedowns in three different fights.[7]

ESPN.com, MMA Weekly, and various UFC personnel have called Johnson one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the world.[8][9][10] As of January 2016, he is #2 in official UFC pound-for-pound rankings.[11] Sherdog ranks Johnson as the #3 pound-for-pound fighter in mixed martial arts and as the #1 flyweight.[12][13]

Early years

Born in Kentucky, Johnson grew up in Parkland, Washington where he attended Washington High School and was a stand-out athlete in track, wrestling, and cross country. In wrestling, he placed 3rd and 2nd in state in his junior and senior years. Although he participated in track and cross country to improve his cardio for wrestling, he competed at the State Championships in both sports as well.[14][15]

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Johnson began his career in mixed martial arts (MMA) in 2007 and won his professional debut via first-round knockout. Johnson then appeared on multiple local shows and won his next 8 fights, including four in a row by submission. Johnson fought at the Alaska Fighting Championships in Anchorage and won via head kick KO, which earned him a deal with the WEC.[15]

World Extreme Cagefighting

He made his World Extreme Cagefighting debut against Brad Pickett on April 24, 2010 at WEC 48 in Sacramento, California.[16] Johnson showed good kickboxing throughout, but was unable to defend the many takedowns executed by Pickett. Johnson lost via unanimous decision. Joe Rogan predicted during the fight that, should the WEC implement a flyweight division (125 lbs), Johnson would be highly effective, as he was a relatively small bantamweight.

Johnson was expected to face Clint Godfrey on September 30, 2010 at WEC 51.[17] However, Godfrey was forced off the card and replaced by WEC newcomer Nick Pace.[18] Johnson defeated Pace via unanimous decision, to hand Pace his first ever MMA loss.

Johnson defeated Damacio Page via third round submission on November 11, 2010 at WEC 52.[19] After Page controlled the action in the first round, Johnson was able to dictate the action for most of the second and third rounds before submitting the visibly tired Page via guillotine choke. Johnson later said, "He was basically drowning, and I was the shark that came up and got him from underneath."[20]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On October 28, 2010, World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As part of the merger, all WEC fighters were transferred to the UFC.[21] Johnson faced Japanese superstar Norifumi Yamamoto on February 5, 2011 at UFC 126 in his UFC debut,[22] Johnson utilized take downs in round 1 and 2, controlling Yamamoto throughout the fight, and being rewarded with a unanimous decision victory.

Johnson was scheduled to face Renan Barão on May 28, 2011 at UFC 130.[23] However, Johnson faced Miguel Torres after Torres' opponent, Brad Pickett was forced off the card with an injury.[24] Despite breaking his fibula early in the second round from a checked leg kick, Johnson used his superior wrestling to control Torres and won a 29-28 unanimous decision victory, even though Demetrious was swept into full mount a record breaking 6 times during the fight.[25]

Johnson fought Dominick Cruz on October 1, 2011 at UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson for the UFC bantamweight title, losing by unanimous decision.[26]

Johnson was briefly linked to a bout with Eddie Wineland on January 28, 2012 at the UFC's second event on Fox.[27] However, Johnson was pulled from the bout to take part in a four-man flyweight tournament to determine the UFC's first UFC Flyweight Champion.

Johnson faced Ian McCall on March 3, 2012 in the first round of the Flyweight Tournament at UFC on FX 2. This fight was the first flyweight bout in UFC history.[28] The fight with McCall went all three rounds, was turned over to the judges' score cards and announced as a majority decision win for Johnson. Later, in the post fight press conference, UFC president Dana White announced that the athletic commission made a mistake when scoring the match and that officially the bout was ultimately scored a majority draw (29-28 Johnson, 28-29, 28-28).[29][30]

A rematch with McCall took place on June 8, 2012 at UFC on FX: Johnson vs. McCall. Johnson won the fight via unanimous decision to progress to the final round of the tournament.[31]

UFC Flyweight Champion (2012-Present)

Johnson faced Joseph Benavidez in the finals of the UFC Flyweight Tournament on September 22, 2012 at UFC 152. Johnson defeated Benavidez in a close and fast-paced fight via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46) to become the inaugural UFC Flyweight Champion.[32]

Johnson fought John Dodson on January 26, 2013 at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Dodson.[33] Dodson managed to match Johnson's speed and also dropped him twice with left hands, but as the fight went on the champion took control and almost finished Dodson in the last seconds of the fifth round. Johnson eventually won the fight via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 48-47) in a bout that earned both participants Fight of the Night honors.[34][35]

Johnson was expected to face John Moraga on April 13, 2013 at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale. However, Johnson was forced out of the bout with an injury and Moraga was pulled from the event as well.[36]

The bout with Moraga eventually took place on July 27, 2013 at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Moraga, where Johnson was looking to defend his title for a second time. Johnson dominated the fight for nearly all five rounds and despite being ahead on the scorecards, he continued to work for the finish and eventually won via an armbar submission late in the fifth round. The win also earned Johnson his first Submission of the Night bonus award.[37]

A rematch with Joseph Benavidez was expected for November 30, 2013 at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale.[38] However, the bout was shifted to December 14, 2013 at UFC on Fox 9 after that event's headliner was postponed due to injury.[39] Johnson won the rematch in emphatic fashion via knockout in the first round, becoming the first person to stop Benavidez. The win also earned Johnson his first Knockout of the Night bonus award.[40]

Johnson faced Ali Bagautinov on June 14, 2014 at UFC 174. He successfully defended his title for a fourth time, winning by unanimous decision.[41] Subsequent to his win, on July 10, the British Columbia Athletic Commission (BCAC) announced that Bagautinov tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) prior to the title fight. In response, the BCAC suspended Nagautimov from mixed martial arts competition for one year.[42]

A bout with Chris Cariaso was expected on August 30, 2014 at UFC 177. However, the bout was shifted to September 27, 2014 at UFC 178 after that event's headliner was cancelled due to injury.[43] Johnson won the fight via submission due to a kimura in the second round.[44] This marked Johnson's fifth title defense and the first time that a kimura was used to end a fight in a UFC championship title bout.

Johnson faced Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC 186, winning the one-sided fight via an armbar submission at 4:59 of the fifth round, resulting in the latest finish in UFC history.[45] This win also secured Johnson a Performance of the Night bonus award.[46]

A rematch with John Dodson took place on September 5, 2015 at UFC 191. In a largely one-sided affair, Johnson won the fight via unanimous decision.[47]

Johnson is rumored to face Henry Cejudo next.

Fighting style

Known as one of the fastest fighters in MMA,[48] Johnson is recognized for quick striking and elusive movement.[9] He is noted for his ability to land fast punches and kicks to the head or body, then quickly escape an opponent's reach.[49] He is also known for his ability to counterstrike while standing within the pocket.[50]

In addition to his striking, Johnson is trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as demonstrated by his kimura submission of Chris Cariaso, and his final-second victory by armbar against Kyoji Horiguchi.[9] During clinches, Johnson has also utilized the Muay Thai plum while mixing in a series of elbows and knees.[51]

In 2015, UFC commentator Joe Rogan, UFC president Dana White, ESPN.com, and other media outlets called Johnson one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the world.[8][9][10]

Personal life

Johnson had a harsh childhood; born two months premature, he was raised by his deaf mother and an abusive stepfather. Johnson has never met his biological father, "I've never seen a picture of him, not a glimpse, nothing." The main thing that has helped him move on from his past is his wife, Destiny Johnson. He says "she is the best thing that has ever happened to me and without her, life would be incomplete." They were wed May 11, 2012, in Hawaii, and their first child was born in July 2013.[52][53]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts record

Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 23–2–1 John Dodson Decision (unanimous) UFC 191 September 5, 2015 5 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Defended the UFC Flyweight Championship.
Win 22–2–1 Kyoji Horiguchi Submission (armbar) UFC 186 April 25, 2015 5 4:59 Montreal, Quebec, Canada Defended the UFC Flyweight Championship. Performance of the Night. Latest finish in UFC history.
Win 21–2–1 Chris Cariaso Submission (kimura) UFC 178 September 27, 2014 2 2:29 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Defended the UFC Flyweight Championship.
Win 20–2–1 Ali Bagautinov Decision (unanimous) UFC 174 June 14, 2014 5 5:00 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Defended the UFC Flyweight Championship; Bagautinov tested positive for EPO.
Win 19–2–1 Joseph Benavidez KO (punch) UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Benavidez 2 December 14, 2013 1 2:08 Sacramento, California, United States Defended the UFC Flyweight Championship. Knockout of the Night.
Win 18–2–1 John Moraga Submission (armbar) UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Moraga July 27, 2013 5 3:43 Seattle, Washington, United States Defended the UFC Flyweight Championship. Submission of the Night.
Win 17–2–1 John Dodson Decision (unanimous) UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Dodson January 26, 2013 5 5:00 Chicago, Illinois, United States Defended the UFC Flyweight Championship. Fight of the Night.
Win 16–2–1 Joseph Benavidez Decision (split) UFC 152 September 22, 2012 5 5:00 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Won the inaugural UFC Flyweight Championship. UFC Flyweight Tournament Final
Win 15–2–1 Ian McCall Decision (unanimous) UFC on FX: Johnson vs. McCall June 8, 2012 3 5:00 Sunrise, Florida, United States UFC Flyweight Tournament Semifinal.
Draw 14–2–1 Ian McCall Draw (majority) UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann March 3, 2012 3 5:00 Sydney, Australia Flyweight debut. UFC Flyweight Tournament Semifinal. Fight of the Night.
Loss 14–2 Dominick Cruz Decision (unanimous) UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson October 1, 2011 5 5:00 Washington D.C., United States For the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
Win 14–1 Miguel Torres Decision (unanimous) UFC 130 May 28, 2011 3 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 13–1 Norifumi Yamamoto Decision (unanimous) UFC 126 February 5, 2011 3 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 12–1 Damacio Page Submission (guillotine choke) WEC 52 November 11, 2010 3 2:27 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win 11–1 Nick Pace Decision (unanimous) WEC 51 September 30, 2010 3 5:00 Broomfield, Colorado, United States
Loss 10–1 Brad Pickett Decision (unanimous) WEC 48 April 24, 2010 3 5:00 Sacramento, California, United States
Win 10–0 Jesse Brock KO (head kick) AFC 68 February 10, 2010 1 1:06 Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Win 9–0 Frankie Mendez Submission (rear-naked choke) KOTC: Thunderstruck August 15, 2009 1 4:38 Everett, Washington, United States
Win 8–0 Louis Contreras Submission (rear-naked choke) Genesis: Rise of Kings June 27, 2009 1 N/A Shoreline, Washington, United States
Win 7–0 Forrest Seabourn Submission (rear-naked choke) Genesis: Cold War December 6, 2008 1 N/A Bellevue, Washington, United States
Win 6–0 Jose Garza Submission (armbar) AX Fighting Championships 22: Last Man Standing August 16, 2008 2 1:56 Lynnwood, Washington, United States
Win 5–0 Louis Contreras Submission (americana) USA MMA: Northwest Fighting Challenge 6 March 29, 2008 1 N/A Tumwater, Washington, United States
Win 4–0 Eric Alvarez Decision (unanimous) AX Fighting Championships 20: March Madness March 8, 2008 5 5:00 Lynnwood, Washington, United States
Win 3–0 Jeff Bourgeois Decision (unanimous) AX Fighting Championships 18: The Art of War September 22, 2007 3 5:00 Lynnwood, Washington, United States
Win 2–0 Pedro Mercado TKO (punches) KOTC: No Holds Barred July 14, 2007 1 1:25 Porterville, California, United States
Win 1–0 Brandon Fieds KO (punch) AX Fighting Championships 16: Annihilation April 28, 2007 1 0:17 Everett, Washington, United States

Mixed martial arts amateur record

Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 2-0 Lupe Hudgens Submission (rear-naked choke) ROTR - Rumble on the Ridge January 10, 2009 3 1:07 Snoqualmie, Washington, United States
Win 1-0 Oren Ulrich TKO (punches) GF - Brawl at the Mall 3 July 29, 2006 1 2:29 Auburn, Washington, United States

See also

References

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  6. ↑ http://boxing.nv.gov/2011%20Results%20Web/05-28-11%20MMA.pdf
  7. ↑ UFC 191: Extended Preview
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External links

Awards and achievements
New title 1st UFC Flyweight Champion
September 22, 2012 – present		 Incumbent
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