Demetrious Johnson Wins BJJ Gold
Demetrious Johnson continues to set a new standard of excellence.
Last week, Johnson won gold at the IBJJF World Master Championship in Las Vegas. He competed in the Master 2 featherweight brown belt division, emerging victorious in all six bouts in the famed Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament. The accomplishment was especially impressive considering this marked Johnson’s first time competing in BJJ.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, and I trained very seriously for it,” said Johnson. “I had a great team behind me, and it was a reinvigorating experience. I can’t wait for the next tournament.”
Courtesy Demetrious Johnson
Currently the reigning ONE flyweight MMA champion, Johnson represented his Evolve Fight Team. The matches brought out his competitive fire, even winning one of the bouts with an outrageously skilled arm bar submission.
Still working toward attaining his black belt, Johnson, 37, is becoming even more complete as a mixed martial artist.
“I love to compete,” said Johnson, who suffered an injury to his LCL in his final match, as well as hurt his groin muscle, yet found the strength to finish the fight. “Jiu-jitsu is scratching that competitive itch for me. And it’s close to home. I can drive down the road and compete in another tournament.”
After training intensely for ONE Fight Night 10 in May, which was ONE Championship’s first card in the United States, Johnson is happy to spend extra time at home.
“I enjoy being, as we call in the hood, a house brother,” said Johnson. “I make breakfast and fix the kids their lunches. I enjoy fatherhood, and when I train, I’m away from my family.”
For Johnson, the highlight of the ONE Fight Night bout in May against Adriano Moraes was that his family was able to see it.
“My kids were there and got to see me compete live,” said Johnson. “All my fights are special because I put my body on the line for my fans, but that one was really meaningful.”
Whether Johnson ever fights again for ONE is unknown. There are four cards in the US next year, and while he would make a great candidate to headline one of them, he is also acutely aware of the time he would miss at home while training.
“I know how much effort it takes to prepare,” said Johnson. “I know how much I’d miss out on with my kids. So I don’t know what I’ll do next.”
No matter what decision Johnson makes, he will remain a fixture in MMA. He added fight breakdowns to his Mighty Gaming YouTube channel, which are a captivating way to learn more about the sport and the athletes in the cage.
Johnson just posted a breakdown of Israel Adesanya’s victory against Alex Pereira, as well a video detailing whether Sean Strickland stands a chance against Adesanya at UFC 293.
“Strickland has a big mountain to climb,” said Johnson. “Izzy is very intelligent, and he’s very smart about making the reads. He and his coach are like one out there. So it’s not that Strickland can’t climb this mountain, but it’s going to be a treacherous one for him.”
It is evident when Johnson is excited about breaking down a fight. His passion is undeniably authentic, and his breakdowns are quickly growing in popularity.
“I’ve always had an appreciation for the sport, and I have an even greater appreciation for people’s stories,” said Johnson. “And if a fight excites me, I’m going to talk about it and break it down.”
Long term, the natural trajectory for Johnson appears to eventually be in the broadcast booth. Perhaps, however, only on certain cards.
“Joe Rogan is a big inspiration for me,” said Johnson. “I aspire to be on his level with my breakdowns. But I’d only want to do the cards that get me excited. I can’t force excitement, so we’ll see what the future holds.”
