A shockwave rippled through the MMA world in late October, when a trade between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and One Championship was finalized. The agreement sent former One welterweight champion Ben Askren to the UFC in return for former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson.
Johnson was open to the idea of joining the One Championship roster, as he had been a fan of the organization for some time.
“I always had a desire to compete in Asia,” Johnson told Sherdog.com. “I grew up watching Asian-based promotions like Dream [and] Pride [Fighting Championships].