Johnson Dismisses Pantoja Callout
After defending his flyweight title against Kai Asakura on Dec. 7, 2024, Alexandre Pantoja challenged retired Demetrious Johnson to return and prove he was the greatest flyweight. Johnson declined. The official scorecards show Pantoja won by second-round submission.
Pantoja’s challenge
After submitting Asakura, Pantoja turned to Johnson, a former flyweight champion who had announced his retirement three months earlier. Pantoja challenged him in the Octagon: “If you want to prove you’re the GOAT, come back,” MMA Fighting reported. Pantoja framed it as a test of their standing among the sport’s best, rather than announcing a booked bout.
Johnson’s response
Johnson answered on his YouTube channel that he had no interest in fighting again and said, “The champ ain’t coming back.” He praised Pantoja’s title defense and called him an outstanding athlete. Johnson had retired from mixed martial arts at ONE 168 on Sept. 6, 2024, after reflecting on the decision for more than a year, according to ONE Championship.
The separate $2 million offer
Johnson also said he had turned down $2 million for a single fight. Johnson said the offer came from an unnamed organization outside the promotion where he had competed and was not for a fight against Pantoja. The two statements came in the same period, but the reported offer was not a price Johnson rejected for this callout, as MMA Fighting reported.
Conclusion
Pantoja invited Johnson back to settle a legacy debate; Johnson said he was retired and uninterested. Johnson’s separate account of declining a $2 million offer did not describe an offer to fight Pantoja.
Sources
Tags: MMA
