Demetrious Johnson continued to do what he does best on Saturday at ONE: Century Part I in Tokyo, winning the ONE Championship Flyweight Grand Prix.
The narrative is simple: regardless of his loss to Henry Cejudo, which saw him dethroned as UFC flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson is the greatest flyweight to ever have walked the earth. The diminutive American known as Mighty Mouse was looking to underscore that fact Saturday at ONE: Century Part I in Tokyo, Japan, when he faced Danny Kingad in the finale of the ONE Championship Flyweight World Grand Prix.
Kingad, a former title challenger in ONE Championship (the 2017 title fight being his only loss as a pro), was a massive underdog, without question. Ahead of the fight, Johnson painted him as a legitimate threat, but few expected anything but a Johnson victory. Mighty Mouse was expected to do what he does best: win.
Kingad went on the attack early. Johnson responded. Lightning quick, as the flyweights always are. Mighty Mouse and Kingad battled against the cage, jockeying for position. Trading knees. Back in center, Johnson fired a leg kick. Before long, he had the fight to the ground, in top position. Kingad would escape, but had to contend with a submission attempt. After scrambling up, they’d engage in a Muay Thai clinch. Again Johnson took the fight to the ground. This time, he moved to side control. Mighty Mouse fired knees while working on a kimura. That may have been the closest either fighter would come to a finish.
The second round saw Johnson shoot and land a takedown pretty much out of the gate. His pressure continued to be relentless. Johnson worked from side control. Kingad was trapped, spending a good chunk of time helpless before he could finally scramble out. Kingad would later have to fend off Johnson as he looked to latch on to an arm. On the ground, the American had a clear advantage, and it left Kingad unable to do more than defend, defend, defend. Unable to get off any offense of his own, he was, frankly, losing the fight.
Things didn’t get better for Danny Kingad in the third and final round. Within the first minute, Demetrious Johnson had taken him down. Kingad tried to scramble out, but Johnson was one step, one movement, one transition ahead of him. The end result, no surprise: Demetrious Johnson captured the ONE flyweight grand prix crown.
“Obviously I’m the number one contender. I’ve got a date with Adriano Moraes,” Johnson said following the fight. First, however, Mighty Mouse is looking for some time off. Well deserved. Look for a flyweight title challenge sometime in 2020.
Official Result: Demetrious Johnson def. Danny Kingad by unanimous decision – to win the ONE flyweight world grand prix
