'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson announced for UFC Hall of Fame's Class of 2026

Johnson's planned induction was announced at UFC Fight Night in Seattle

Shakiel Mahjouri

Mar 28, 2026

9:27 pm ET

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1 min read

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One of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history is headed into the UFC Hall of Fame. Demetrious Johnson, known fondly as "Mighty Mouse," will be inducted as part of the Class of 2026. The announcement was made Saturday during UFC Fight Night: Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer in Seattle.

Johnson, the former UFC flyweight champion, was seated front row at the Climate Pledge Arena for the announcement.

Widely considered the best flyweight of all time and a strong contender for the Mount Rushmore of MMA, Mighty Mouse holds the record for most consecutive UFC title defenses (11) in any weight class.

He dominated the flyweight division for five years, finishing two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo, current ranked flyweight Kyoji Horiguchi and multi-time title challenger Joseph Benavidez during his reign.

Mighty Mouse is widely considered one of the most well-rounded, technically brilliant fighters ever to step into the Octagon

He famously threw Ray Borg into the air and caught him on the way down with an armbar -- one of the most iconic highlights in the sport's history. Against Horiguchi, Johnson set the record for the latest UFC finish, earning a victory with 1 second remaining in their five-round fight.

Since retiring, Johnson has parlayed his experience into a flourishing media and coaching career. He's worked with numerous top UFC fighters, including reigning welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. He's also launched a successful podcast and gaming channel.

Johnson further solidified his legacy after leaving the UFC in 2018.

Mighty Mouse made headlines when UFC traded him to ONE Championship in exchange for decorated wrestler Ben Askren. Johnson went 5-1 in ONE, winning their flyweight title and going 2-1 in a trilogy against Adriano Moraes. He also defeated famed Muay Thai striker Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a special attraction mixed rules fight.

Johnson joins past rival Dominick Cruz, along with the legendary five-round fight between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jędrzejczyk as UFC Hall of Fame inductees for 2026.

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