ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson Recalls First-Ever KO Loss

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ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson hasn't skipped a beat during his move from the West to the East as he continues to reign over a whole different breed of flyweight competitors.

"Mighty Mouse" entered ONE Championship's flyweight MMA realm in 2018 following the historic trade from the UFC, and his dominance has taken him to the top of the division once more.

After winning the ONE Flyweight MMA World Grand Prix Championship, Johnson met then-reigning divisional king Adriano "Mikinho" Moraes. It resulted in a shocking defeat for "Mighty Mouse," as he suffered the first-ever knockout loss of his career at "ONE on TNT I" in 2021.

Johnson was still adjusting to the grounded-strikes rule in ONE, and Moraes made him pay dearly. Moraes' brutal knee attacked starched Johnson in the second round of their first thrilling encounter.

"I'm still learning, I'm still getting better with that whole dynamic of the knees to an opponent on the ground, but it was a great fight," Johnson said after the encounter.

The lesson brought "Mighty Mouse" back down to earth and sent shockwaves around the MMA world. But the pair met one year later at ONE on Prime Video 1 in August 2022, where Johnson repaid the favor and knocked Moraes out with a knee of his own.

Demetrious Johnson Successfully Defends ONE Flyweight MMA World Title Against Adriano Moraes

ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson managed to turn one of his greatest defeats into one of his greatest victories when he met Adriano Moraes at ONE Fight Night 10, further propelling his legendary status.

Johnson edged out "Mikinho" over five rounds in ONE Championship's first trip to the U.S. this past May, picking up the unanimous decision as a result to retain his coveted World Title. "Mighty Mouse" noted how much the lessons helped him improve his game.

"This loss turned out to be a great opportunity because I learned so much. I learned that walking across distances is the best thing to do. I fought Rodtang [Jitmuangnon] afterward and then fought Moraes again, and I made amazing adjustments."

It's unclear when Johnson's next venture into ONE Championship's Circle will be. But he already has challengers awaiting his return. The world's largest martial arts organization is set to return to the U.S. for four events in 2024, so an appearance from the MMA GOAT is likely.