When Dana White shared why he had "no regrets" about trading Demetrious Johnson for Ben Askren
ONE Championship flyweight MMA world champion Demetrious Johnson made a shocking announcement at ONE 168, confirming his retirement from mixed martial arts. The decision came after a successful career that included multiple world title defenses and a historic induction into the ONE Championship Hall of Fame.
Before his move to ONE Championship in 2018, Johnson dominated the UFC flyweight division, securing 11 consecutive world title defenses. His reign continued in ONE, where he won the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix and captured the ONE flyweight MMA world title.
In an old interview with 'The Schmo,' Dana White, the UFC CEO, shared his thoughts on trading Johnson for Ben Askren from ONE Championship. White had nothing but good things to say about Askren, praising what he brought to the organization since joining, despite his losing record.
White dismissed any notion of animosity between him and Askren, emphasizing his appreciation for what Askren brought to the UFC in his three fights:
"No regrets, whatsoever. That fight was incredible over the weekend. Loved that fight. Fun fight to watch. Ben brought a lot of hype to the UFC. People were excited about him coming in and fighting and seeing what he could do. The fight with Ben and Masvidal was what built Masvidal into what he is right now and going into this weekend. Without Askren, that doesn’t happen.” [H/t: MMA Junkie]
Check out Dana White's comment below (4:27):
Dana White Confirms Demetrious Johnson's UFC Hall of Fame Induction
Following his recent induction into the ONE Championship Hall of Fame, UFC legend Demetrious Johnson may be eligible for another prestigious honor. UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that Johnson will eventually be enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame.
In an interview with Grind City Media, White expressed his admiration for Johnson's career, stating:
"Yeah, I didn't know that and yeah, listen, if you could go back to when he was here, I was defending him from the fans. Who's defended Demetrious Johnson more than me? Yeah, no, good for him. You know, incredible career he had and yeah, I've never had a problem with Demetrious Johnson."
When asked about Johnson's potential UFC Hall of Fame induction, White responded definitively:
"Absolutely."
Check out Dana White's comments below: