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<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="8445085" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Demetrious-Johnson">Demetrious Johnson</keyword> may be the "greatest" <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> fighter ever but he is about to embark on the fight of his life, <keyword id="3170175" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="One-Championship">One Championship</keyword> boss Chatri Sityodtong told Insider.</li><li>Johnson, statistically the most dominant champion the UFC has ever seen, left the Las Vegas-based fight firm to join Singapore's One Championship MMA league.</li><li>The American won his first three fights, claimed the One Championship flyweight Grand Prix, and is now set to challenge Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Adriano Moraes for the flyweight title.</li><li>"It's a 50-50 fight, great fight for the fans, but not an easy one for DJ," Sityodtong said. "And for Adriano … he's fighting a legend."</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Demetrious Johnson is the greatest fighter in the history of mixed martial arts but that does not mean he has it easy in his next fight, a flyweight bout against One Championship title holder Adriano Moraes.That is according to Chatri Sityodtong, the founder and CEO of Singapore-based MMA firm One, who told Insider earlier this month that the former UFC athlete Johnson epitomizes One's culture as he is an extraordinary mixed martial artist and "a wonderful human being."Sityodtong signed Johnson in a landmark trade deal with the UFC in 2018, which saw the welterweight wrestler Ben Askren join the Las Vegas-based business.Johnson left the UFC on a loss, having been defeated by Henry Cejudo after a 13-fight winning run which included 11 consecutive title defenses — a UFC record.Since competing in One, Johnson won three in a row, including a debut guillotine choke submission, and claimed the One Championship flyweight grand-prix, last year.It sets him up for a shot at Moraes' flyweight title — "a tough fight" for Johnson, Sityodtong told us, regardless of his pedigree at the top of the sport.Sityodtong called Johnson "the greatest, pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in history" — a statement ESPN may dispute after <a href="https://www.espn.co.uk/mma/story/_/id/26046297/why-georges-st-pierre-greatest-fighter-ever" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently naming Georges St-Pierre as the world's best</a>, but <a href="https://theathletic.com/1343546/2019/11/25/the-2010s-mmas-all-decade-team-with-the-top-fighter-in-each-major-division/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one The Athletic may not argue</a> as it said Johnson is most dominant champion in UFC history."It's a statistical fact," it said in 2019.Sityodtong said Johnson's greatness is not just evident during combat. "He's someone that grandmothers and grandchildren can look up to as a role model. He's an incredible father, incredible husband, obviously incredible athlete. I love the guy."<h2>It's a 50-50 fight between a 'Jon Jones'-esque body type and an MMA 'legend'</h2><div type="image" title="Demetrious Johnson and Chatri Sityodtong" height="962" width="1283" msid="75475530" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-top-20-fights-we-want-to-see-most-in-2020-2?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One of Insider's dream combat sports matches we had been anticipating this year</a> was a seemingly inevitable fight between Johnson and Moraes, which the coronavirus pandemic has, so far, quashed.But the way Sityodtong talks, it is only a matter of time before we see Moraes put his 18-3 record and his One belt on the line against Johnson."It's going to be a tough fight," Sityodtong said, telling Insider that Johnson's fights in the One Grand Prix proved challenging for the American."Adriano is 18-3 and he's a beast. He's a black belt on the ground but he's long, lanky, and tall. He's got that Jon Jones body type for his weight class, and so he's difficult to deal with."It's a 50-50 fight, a great fight for the fans, but not an easy one for DJ. And for Adriano … he's fighting a legend."As for when this match can be made, that remains unclear.One was recently forced to clear its entire combat calendar through May, and so Sityodtong said his team has been "scrambling behind the scenes to reconstruct cards because the [coronavirus-enforced] travel bans has caused so many fights to fall apart "Sitodtong said: "My intention is to put on all these fights, but let's see what Mother Nature says."Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 21-year-old champion is already good enough to dethrone UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA promoter says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/ufc-has-inhuman-attitude-patricio-freire-says-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The UFC is so concerned about making money it doesn't care if fighters get the coronavirus and 'die,' a Bellator MMA athlete says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/francis-ngannou-so-strong-he-lifted-shaquille-oneal-with-ease-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The hardest-hitting heavyweight in UFC history is so strong he lifted Shaquille O'Neal with ease</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-slapping-champ-dumpling-slap-mma-opponent-in-prison-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 300-pound internet star took part in a 'prison block' slapping match against a 6-foot-7 cage-fighter</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/demetrious-johnson-is-greatest-ever-mma-fighter-says-chatri-sityodtong-2020-4">Insider</a>

Demetrious Johnson is the greatest MMA fighter in history, but has it tough against a Jon Jones-esque opponent, his promoter says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Continued outbreaks of the coronavirus has halted Chatri Sityodtong's ability to restart <keyword id="3170175" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="One-Championship">One Championship</keyword> events.</li><li>The fight promoter, arguably the most powerful figure in Asian combat <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword>, last held a show in late February and this week had to cancel a planned show for May 29 in Manila.</li><li>Sityodtong told Insider he is not giving up, is "scrambling behind the scenes," and is determined to put on fights as soon as possible in as safe a manner as possible.</li><li>Sityodtong is also adding the brutal Burmese martial art Lethwei to his events and even said he would love to recruit the most famous Lethwei practitioner <keyword id="9136034" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dave-leduc">Dave Leduc</keyword>, an expert head-butter.</li><li>"I love Dave Leduc," Sityodtong said. "The guy is a monster."</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Asia's biggest <keyword id="6403489" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma">MMA</keyword> firm would love to recruit Lethwei "monster" Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic has waned worldwide, One Championship chairman Chatri Sityodtong told Insider.As a self-confessed fan of all martial arts, Sityodtong told us he not only wants to incorporate Lethwei bouts into his future combat sport festivals, he would happily bring in Leduc, probably the most famous Lethwei practitioner, to show off what the fighting discipline is all about."One Championship is a celebration of all martial arts, not just mixed martial arts," Sityodtong told Insider in an interview in early April."We've done submission grappling, we've done boxing, we've done mixed martial arts, muay thai, kickboxing … we've actually done Lethwei before on an undercard."But One Championship is a celebration of Asia's greatest treasure — martial arts — and I want to showcase all the martial arts."It's not just about MMA," Sityodtong said. "I happen to love MMA. I'm a practitioner every day of Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu jitsu. So I fully appreciate all the arts and want One Championship to showcase all the martial arts."On Leduc, specifically, Sityodtong said: "I love Dave Leduc. The guy is a monster! I would love to have him in One Championship."<a href="https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/8/1/20750483/lethwei-champion-dave-leduc-interview-seth-baczynski-ufc-fight-pass-myanmar-kickboxing-muay-thai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloody Elbow</a> and <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_asia/article/3kgyen/lethwei-brutal-sport-burmese-kickboxing-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vice</a> describe Lethwei as one of the most brutal striking styles in the world as it is a bareknuckle sport in which one cannot traditionally win without knocking out the opponent. Without a knockout, a bout tends to be declared a draw.If you want an example for how tough the sport is, it is completely legal to use "gowl tite" — headbutts. Knocked out competitors are even allowed a time-out in which they can be revived by their corner. This is not normal even in other martial arts.Lethwei's most famous practitioner right now is Leduc, who is the first non-Burmese athlete to win the coveted Lethwei golden belt and a pretty good headbutter in his own right.<h2>Lethwei is a 'genuine art'</h2><div type="image" title="FILE - In this July 30, 2019, file photo, One Championship founder Chatri Sityodtong, center, gestures as Reece McLaren, right, of Australia and Danny Kingad, of the Philippines face off during the media presentation for this ONE Championship mixed martial arts fight dubbed: Dawn of Heroes, in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. As his mixed martial arts promotions go behind closed doors and audience free, Sityodtong says he's finding ways to thrive during the coronavirus pandemic that is shutting down sports around the globe. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)" height="1433" width="1911" msid="75432367" hostid="261"></div>Also known as Burmese boxing, the art-form of Lethwei could be confused if it is regarded as a bareknuckle version of MMA similar to what bareknuckle boxing is to the sport of boxing.That's according to Sityodtong.He said: "For me, bareknuckle boxing … there's very little technique involved and it's almost like a street fight between two untrained combatants."Whereas Lethwei is a genuine art. There's mastery involved. It takes a decade of training every day to get to the top."There's a real mastery, a real martial art. Whereas, bareknuckle boxing, I've seen someone who has zero technique, zero anything, just in a brawl."I don't appreciate that — it's not an art. Art is what we see in One Championship," Sityodtong said.The global outbreak of the coronavirus, together with a resurgence of COVID-19 in localized cities and countries in Asia, has restrained Sityodtong from being able to operate despite a desire to host events in times of crises.When Insider spoke to Sityodtong he told us that there had been a new surge of coronavirus cases in Singapore because of importation, and this led to travel restrictions and a governmental shutdown.His planned events in that country for April were therefore canceled. "It has become increasingly harder" for live event companies like Sityodtong's to work, he said, and even though One Championship this week had to cancel a May 29 show in Manila because of the pandemic, he refuses to give up.While it is unclear when high-level mixed martial arts will be able to safely restart in key Asian territories, Sityodtong said he will be "scrambling behind the scenes" to find solutions.Additionally, there may well be conversations with Leduc, who <a href="https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/8/1/20750483/lethwei-champion-dave-leduc-interview-seth-baczynski-ufc-fight-pass-myanmar-kickboxing-muay-thai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Bloody Elbow last year</a>: "Maybe someday I'll compete in One."Sityodtong said: "I love [Leduc's] fighting style, I love his aggression, and I love his finishing ability. He's a real stud."Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/khabib-nurmagomedov-challenged-to-a-fight-vs-christian-lee-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 21-year-old champion is already good enough to dethrone UFC king Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA promoter says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/ufc-has-inhuman-attitude-patricio-freire-says-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The UFC is so concerned about making money it doesn't care if fighters get the coronavirus and 'die,' a Bellator MMA athlete says</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/mike-tyson-punched-garbage-man-for-throwing-away-his-pigeon-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Tyson said he once knocked out a garbage man for throwing away one of his pet pigeons that had died</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/francis-ngannou-so-strong-he-lifted-shaquille-oneal-with-ease-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The hardest-hitting heavyweight in UFC history is so strong he lifted Shaquille O'Neal with ease</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-slapping-champ-dumpling-slap-mma-opponent-in-prison-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 300-pound internet star took part in a 'prison block' slapping match against a 6-foot-7 cage-fighter</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/one-championship-would-love-to-recruit-headbutt-expert-dave-leduc-2020-4">Insider</a>

Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows

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Demetrious Johnson is the greatest MMA fighter in history, but has it tough against a Jon Jones-esque opponent, his promoter says

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Asia's biggest MMA firm would love to recruit head-butting Lethwei 'monster' Dave Leduc once the coronavirus pandemic slows

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