top 5 potential opponents for ONE Championship star Demetrious Johnson next
16/12/2023 19:54
Off the back of his rematch and subsequent rubber-match trilogy win over Brazilian foe, Adriano Moraes earlier this year, former UFC kingpin and ONE Championship star, Demetrious Johnson remains in career limbo – as the Kentucky-born fighter weighs-up a continued career in mixed martial arts – as well as a potential continuance of his new grappling run.
Johnson, 37, most recently headlined a ONE Fight Night 10 card back in May in the Chatri Sityodtong-led promotion's debut in North America – successfully defending his flyweight title at the 135 pound limit with a unanimous decision win over Moraes in Colorado.
Who do you want to see Demetrious Johnson fight next?
And below, catch a list of the top 5 potential opponents for Demetrious Johnson as the American superstar continues to weigh-up his fighting future in the sport.
Jarred Brooks –
The current ONE Championship strawweight gold holder, Jared Brooks has continually spoken of his aspirations to one day fight former UFC flyweight star, Demetrious Johnson.
And winning the ONE strawweight crown in December of last year, the 20-2(1) Brooks had a fleeting four-fight run in the UFC, however, with his championship success at the strawweight limit last year, a potential chance to capture gold a division higher against Johnson could tempt the latter to continue his run in the Singapore-based promotion.
Demetrious Johnson, though born in Kentucky, grew up and trained in Washington. The state of Kentucky is proud to claim one of the best MMA fighters of all time as one of their own. Kentucky sports betting promos are sure to see plenty of action when ONE FC officially announces its four US events.
We switch focus from mixed martial arts to submission grappling following Johnson's recent gold medal success at an IBJJF Masters World event, and a potential venture for the veteran could come in the form of a grappling showdown against ONE Championship flyweight submission grappling champion, Mikey Musumeci.
Sidelined since ONE Fight Night 15 back in October, Musumeci most recently beat Shinya Aoki with an Aoki lock in an openweight grappling match.
Rodtang Jitmuangnon rematch –
Squaring off with Thai striking superstar, Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a stunning mixed rules fight back in March of last year in the main event of ONE X – Johnson managed to land a second round technical submission win over the kickboxing supremo with a rear-naked choke.
A potential striking only special rules showdown between the two could be enough to lure both Demetrious Johnson and Rodtang to a rematch – following a recent pairing of 'Wondergirl' Jarronsak and Xiong Xiao Nan.
Jonathan Haggerty –
Off the back of a recent bantamweight Muay Thai and kickboxing world championship success under the banner of ONE Championship, British striking phenom, Jonathan Haggerty could potentially find himself in the crosshairs of Johnson in what would come as a spectacular technical matchup.
Featuring at ONE Fight Night 16 back in November, Haggerty turned heads with a brutal second round KO win over Brazilian opponent, Fabricio Andrade in Bangkok, Thailand.
Kairat Akhmetov –
And a potential opponent for Johnson – whom has already stood opposite the Kentucky native, albeit in a face-off back in May, surging flyweight contender, Kairat Akhmetov has been touted as a potential opponent for the former UFC star.
The 36-year-old Kazakh-born fighter has a flare for submission victories throughout his dominant mixed martial arts run, landing a face-off with Johnson after a unanimous decision win over Reece McLaren in the pair's May clash in Broomfield, Colorado.
