jeudi, décembre 5, 2024
13.4 C
Londres

UFC icon emotional as he announces retirement, reflecting on a career that stands alongside Conor McGregor and Jon Jones.


Demetrious Johnson has officially announced his retirement.

The legendary UFC fighter and former ONE FC flyweight champion revealed his retirement from MMA during ONE FC 168 in Denver, California, on Friday night, at the age of 38.


Johnson held the UFC Flyweight belt for six years

1

Johnson held the UFC Flyweight belt for six yearsCredit: Getty – Contributor

In his heartfelt retirement speech, he expressed, « First off, I want to thank the fans. You have always been amazing to me and allowed me to pursue my passion for martial arts. »

« Thank you to all my teammates from 2006 to 2024. »

Overcome with emotion, Johnson shed tears while thanking his coach, Matt Hume, and his family.

« Thank you to Matt, » he cried. « Thank you to my wife, my children, my father-in-law, and my mother-in-law. F***, keep it together, dog. »

« Thank you to all of you; you’ve made me a better person and athlete. Thank you to my wife for always encouraging me to follow my dreams, and to ONE Championship, the staff, the competition team, and the social media team. Thank you to Chatri [Sityodtong] for giving me the platform to showcase my martial arts. »

« As I said last time I was in Denver, I hinted it might be my last fight, and I wasn’t kidding. I am done. I am finished competing in mixed martial arts, and I want to extend my gratitude for every opportunity you’ve given me. »

« And a special thank you to my dad, who has been an incredible part of my life for the past eight years. »

« To my children, I love you all. You can achieve anything you set your minds to. And to my wife, I love you. »

Johnson, recognized as the UFC’s first and longest reigning flyweight champion, is often hailed as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. His achievements place him among the legends like Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, and Conor McGregor.

Johnson won the UFC flyweight title by defeating Joseph Benavidez in the 2012 tournament final and went on to dominate the 125-pound division for an impressive 2,142 days.

During his reign, he set records for the most consecutive title defenses (11), the most submissions in title fights (5), and the longest winning streak in UFC flyweight history (13).

Yuneisy Duben delivers a KO of the Year contender to earn a UFC contract from Dana White in the Contender Series

He also defeated several all-time greats, such as Henry Cejudo, Kyoji Horiguchi, and Adriano Moraes (twice).

Johnson concluded his career as the ONE FC flyweight champion, triumphing over Moraes in consecutive matches.

His final fight took place in May 2023, where he secured a unanimous decision victory in their rubber match at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

TalkSPORT BET Boxing Offer

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

CLAIM HERE

T&Cs: 18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10+ via mobile on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 3x £10 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly



https://talksport.com/sport/2037910/ufc-demetrious-johnson-retirement-conor-mcgregor-jon-jones/

Hot this week

Topics

spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img

Login to enjoy full advantages

Please login or subscribe to continue.

Go Premium!

Enjoy the full advantage of the premium access.

Stop following

Unfollow Cancel

Cancel subscription

Are you sure you want to cancel your subscription? You will lose your Premium access and stored playlists.

Go back Confirm cancellation