Demetrious Johnson points out one of his UFC records he believes will never be broken
11/22/2024 04:43 PM
Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson believes one of his greatest accomplishments is irreplicable.
Demetrious Johnson accomplished many feats during his illustrious career in the cage. During stints in the UFC and ONE, Johnson tallied many highlight finishes during his multiple championship reigns with both promotions.
Many things stand out about Johnson’s MMA career. One of which is the fact he was the centerpiece of the only major cross-promotional trade in the sport’s history when the UFC traded Johnson to ONE in exchange for Ben Askren.
Before his UFC departure, Johnson’s long flyweight title reign finally ended against Henry Cejudo in his promotional finale. The loss marked the end of one of the greatest runs in UFC championship history, and certainly the longest.
After walking away from MMA earlier this year, Johnson believes his UFC flyweight title reign is something fight fans and pundits will never see surpassed as the sport continues to gain traction worldwide.
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Demetrious Johnson reveals his greatest UFC achievement that he feels won’t be replicated
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Johnson was asked about one UFC record he believes will prove impossible to surpass.
“What me and Anderson Silva have done with that many consecutive title defenses in a row, it’s gonna be untouched,” Johnson said. “You look at the landscape of mixed martial arts, you have Ilia Topuria who is 27 years old…Alex Pereira, he’s like 37 years old. All the champions, they’re in their 30s…from 2012 all the way to 2018, that’s six years of just dominance. You’re not going to see that nowadays, because everyone wants to go up and fight for [a second belt].
“11 consecutive title defenses will never be touched. Jon Jones, he’s been in and out, now he’s at heavyweight…what I’ve been able to accomplish as a champ, it’s not able to be replicated.”
Johnson’s memorable win over Ray Borg at UFC 216 was his record-breaking 11th consecutive title defense. He surpassed longtime UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, who notched 10 title defenses during his reign.
Demetrious Johnson retired in 2024 after legendary MMA career
Johnson defeated the likes of Joseph Benavidez, John Dodson, and Cejudo during his UFC flyweight title reign. After UFC CEO Dana White allegedly threatened to disband the division, Johnson and others cemented the weight class for years to come, resulting in the flyweight talent we see today.
Johnson announced his retirement at ONE 168 earlier this year, ending his legendary run in the cage. While Johnson walked away from MMA, he’ll continue to compete in various grappling competitions after discovering a new-found love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Johnson will likely enter the UFC Hall of Fame one day, especially after recently hanging up the gloves. But, his at-times strained relationship with White and the UFC brass could hinder his Hall of Fame chances.
In an age in which the term ‘champ-champ’ is prevalent, Johnson’s long title reign may never be replicated. Time will tell if we’ll ever see anything like it ever again.
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