DJ is hailed as one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the world. Whether you judge by the eye test or off the words from industry veterans like UFC president Dana White, viral podcaster and combat sports aficionado Joe Rogan, or any number of the journalists and pundits who have given him the title! Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson achieved a series of championship titles across his career, finding his greatest success at Flyweight in UFC and ONE Championship of Singapore, where UFC traded him in late 2018.
Standing a diminutive 5-foot-3 (but ripped for his size at 135 pounds), Johnson knows how to leverage his size to his advantage, holding the UFC Flyweight Championship for nearly six years straight between 2012 and 2018.
Born in Madisonville, Kentucky on August 13th, 1986, ‘Mighty Mouse’ got his start in combat sports as a wrestler, an origin that’s easy to track when you watch his brutal takedowns and grappling skill, and he’s still enjoying an excellent career as he approaches his 37th birthday! Although ‘Mighty Mouse’ now lives in and trains out of the state of Washington, his home state is set to legalize online sports betting in the upcoming months, so make sure to use the best fighting bonuses next time he fights. Here’s a look at three of the best fights of his career, win or lose.
3. Vs. Ray Borg
It would be impossible to begin the list anywhere other than with UFC 216, when Mighty Mouse set a UFC record with his 12th consecutive title defense. For a fighter known for his fast pace and quick striking, Johnson has shown a remarkable ability to hang in fights right through to the bitter end throughout the years, turning it up a notch in the late rounds to put the icing on the cake of his victories.
That’s what he did against Ray Borg in 2017, finishing his opponent with a fifth-round victory by Flying Armbar. He suplexed Borg to the ground, deftly flicking his right leg into position around Borg’s neck during the armbar takedown that forced a quick submission from his challenger. His snake-like speed was on full display, and the win earned him honors for the submission of the year.
2. Vs. Adriano Moraes
We’ll get three for the price of one here looking at an excellent rivalry series in ONE Championship between Johnson and Brazilian fighter Adriano Moraes.
The Brazilian stunned Johnson in April 2021 with a second-round knockout, their first time in the octagon together.
Moraes, who stands a head taller than Johnson at 5′ 8″, used his size to his advantage, kneeing Mighty Mouse in the head and taking him to the ground on the way to a vicious knockout victory to claim the Flyweight throne.
The first fight made the rematch even more impressive, as the diminutive fighter one-upped his taller opponent with a flying knee for the knockout victory. Johnson got Moraes off balance, corralling him against the edge of the ring with lightning speed before going in for the finishing move.
While the third fight didn’t have the drama that the first two matches did, it did put a fitting end to the trilogy when Johnson established his superiority once and for all with a second straight victory over his opponent.
This one went the distance, but Johnson left no doubt as to who the best fighter was, earning the victory by unanimous decision.
1. Vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
Last on the list (in terms of duration of the fight, but certainly not when you consider the drama involved) was Johnson’s buzzer-beating victory against Kyoji Horiguchi in 2015, midway through his flyweight championship run as his sixth consecutive title defense.
Johnson tied the record for the latest finish in UFC history in this match, forcing his opponent to tap out at the last possible second with his patented armbar hold.
With the clock ticking up towards five minutes, Johnson didn’t have any time to waste, and viewers flicked their eyes between the scoreboard and action in the octagon constantly, trying to see if time would run out or if Johnson would secure the victory before needing the input of the judges.
The win earned him the Performance of the Night award, and it’s easy to see why.
