No matter where he competes, Demetrious
Johnson always seems to excel.
On Thursday in Las Vegas, the 2023 World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF
Championship kicked off, and Johnson was among its numerous
competitors. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship great and
current One Championship titleholder entered into the
featherweight category of 154.6 pounds at the
Master 2 division for brown belts. Four brackets needed to be
established for the 38 men that took part in this specific tourney,
and over the course of the day, Johnson won out to stand atop the
pedestal.
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Johnson, who entered as a low 36 seed, started off his branch of
the tournament by running the table in the second bracket. His
first match came against Lukas Cherep, and the AMC Pankration
fighter pulled off the win. A mere 15 minutes later, “Mighty Mouse”
faced the overall no. 1 seed, Josue Lopez, and he was not denied
the victory. A subsequent armbar over Walter Diaz propelled him
into the top match of his bracket, and he went on to overcome John
Fleming to represent Bracket 2 in the semifinals.
In the semis, Johnson battled it out with Hiroshi Baba, who came
into the tourney as the 10th seed, and he again prevailed. This set
the stage for the finals match, which took place almost exactly two
hours after the competitions began. Against Michael Harmeling, the
One Championship beltholder claimed a gold medal with his win,
having earned six victories against fellow brown belts in the
Master 2 category.
Johnson most recently punctuated his trilogy battle in MMA against
Adriano
Moraes by procuring a decision over his Brazil-based rival for
the One 135-pound throne. In 2021, Johnson suffered a knockout loss
to “Mikinho,” and he returned the favor a year later to get his
strap back. That third match this May against Moraes took place in
Colorado, for his first appearance on U.S. soil since his final UFC
bout against Henry
Cejudo in 2018.
Following that contentious split decision loss, the UFC traded
Johnson to One for Ben Askren.
Johnson went on to win the One flyweight grand prix and then its
belt. Along the way, “Mighty Mouse” strangled Rodtang
Jitmuangnon in a matchup of alternating rules, and Johnson
noted that he planned on challenging himself in other disciplines
going forward, including grappling.
Demetrious Johnson wins gold at World IBJJF
Championships as a brown belt! pic.twitter.com/uHNUKYxn4v— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom)
September 1, 2023