ONE flyweight world champion Demetrious Johnson has reached the pinnacle of MMA through the work he has put into training. His constant grind in the gym has allowed him to win multiple world titles.
A key component of his training regimen is only sparring whenever he is preparing for a scheduled fight, which he credits for his sustained success and career longevity. One of his main reasons for doing this is to avoid unnecessary damage, as sparring sessions may get out of hand sometimes.
This was also the same formula Johnson used when he prepared for his trilogy fight with Adriano Moraes at ONE Fight Night 10 in May 2023, which headlined the world’s largest martial arts organization’s first-ever on-ground event in the U.S.
In his most recent appearance on The MMA Hour, the 36-year-old American revealed that he’s still following this blueprint as he hasn’t participated in any sparring sessions since that third meeting with Moraes:
“I haven’t sparred in mixed martial arts since May, maybe April is probably the last time I did any sparring in mixed martial arts whatsoever.”
As of now, ‘Mighty Mouse’ doesn’t have an upcoming opponent. There are a few options for the widely-regarded ‘MMA GOAT’ as he can fight other top contenders like Reece McLaren, participate in another special rules super fight like his match with Rodtang, or jump to another sport and compete in submission grappling.
Prime Video subscribers in North America can rewatch ONE Championship’s Amazon cards for free.
Watch Demetrious Johnson’s full interview here: