Midnight Mania: DJ So Good That Brain Health Improved While Fighting
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Demetrious Johnson is one of the most accomplished MMA fighters of all time. The surefire future Hall Of Famer captured UFC gold in 2012 then defended it a record 11 times, showing dominance in every facet of MMA. After being traded to One Championship in 2018, “Mighty Mouse” again became a champion, defended his belt, and retired on top.
All told, Johnson was a professional fighter for 14 years and 30 professional fighters, retiring with a 25-4-1 record. It was a long and successful career by any metric, but even with winning fighters who walk away at the right time, there’s still concern about longterm health when it comes to combat sports.
Fortunately, Johnson believes himself to be in a good spot. In a recent appearance on Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway, Johnson revealed that he’s been monitoring his brain health for over a decade with the Cleveland Clinic, a top medical facility sponsored in part by UFC putting research into the effects of head trauma on professional athletes.
According to Johnson, his brain health isn’t only well, but it’s outright better than ever and has improved over the course of his fighting career.
Studies showed that Demetrious Johnson’s brain not only wasn’t harmed by strikes during his long career, but it actually started working better.
“I was part of a brain study for fighters from 2012 up until 2023, leading up to my second fight with Adriano. The Cleveland lab… pic.twitter.com/7IG4CIcWX0
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) September 9, 2024
“After doing the whole testing from 2012 to 2023, he looks at my brain scan and he goes, ‘Demetrious, your brain has not aged one bit in your whole entire career. You’ve gotten smarter. You enunciate better than you did in 2012.’ Which is supposed to happen, as you age you’re supposed to get more wisdom, more intelligent.
“He goes, ‘Your brain hasn’t changed one bit. You’re lucky.’”
Despite Johnson’s dominance in the cage, he certainly was hurt on a few occasions. Adrian Moraes became the only man to stop “Mighty Mouse” in 2022 after landing a huge uppercut and grounded knee, but men like Joseph Benavidez and John Dodson also floored him with punches. There’s also countless rounds of sparring to consider, which makes it all the more impressive that Johnson appears to be walking away from the sport with his health fully intact.
Insomnia
Finally, a meme I can endorse with 100% of my being.
— beans (@cflcfc) September 7, 2024
Charles Oliveira rolling Charles Oliveira in a blind ranking is perfect.
Charles Oliveira blind ranks MMA fighters
1) Charles Oliveira
2) Jose Aldo
3) Alex Pereira
4) Henry Cejudo
5) Max Holloway
6) Alistair Overeem
7) Francis Ngannou
8) Cedric Doumbé
9) Khamzat Chimaev
10) Sean StricklandTikTok / @CharlesDoBronxs #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/CGCHk6R68A
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 13, 2024
Belly-to-back suplex!
Big guys – big throws! He made his opponent look like a featherweight!
[chrisbelmonte08/IG] pic.twitter.com/tLIJUzD8vd
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 6, 2024
At this point, Alex Pereira’s low kicks are nearly as famous as his left hook. The man genuinely might be made of steel!
Alex Pereira’s legs need to be studied pic.twitter.com/F88DxuVLn0
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) September 6, 2024
Martial arts gone very traditional!
Staged gladiator fight at the opening of the #FNC19 event in Pula, Croatia. pic.twitter.com/UkimCRy6Rz
— Adrian Szymański (@adrians_mma) September 7, 2024
Darren Till loving chocolate is a very believable bit of trash talk.
Khamzat Chimaev putting it on Darren Till in a Twitter Space for making him miss weight pic.twitter.com/xZ3RdIEaWu
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) September 8, 2024
It’s somewhat of a miracle this Welterweight veterans match up hasn’t happened before at some point. I like the booking!
Tim Means will fight Court McGee at #UFC307 on October 5th. (first rep. Means IG) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2024 pic.twitter.com/5JMY0m2dAx
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) September 8, 2024
Sassy Suga Show.
Sean O’Malley went on Henry Cejudo’s podcast just to ask him: “How did you let Aljo take you down so easy?”
(via @pound4poundshow) pic.twitter.com/yNWWmwWHSN
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence) September 9, 2024
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Straight up hit him with the Sweet Chin Music.
Jean Claude Saclag makes quick work of Lee Jun Young with the KO in 94 seconds. Living up to the name with that side kick to the face #ONEFridayFights78 pic.twitter.com/vFnX4BwJRC
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) September 6, 2024
Heel to the chin and some nasty follow up shots …
HOLY S*** #BFL81 pic.twitter.com/mEAqWXNRJP
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) September 7, 2024
Reis loaded up heavy on this left hook, and it paid off!
Nasty. Fabio Reis shuts down Pakorn with the left hook to the liver in R2. What a shot #ONEFridayFights78 pic.twitter.com/nQIQpNnCUi
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) September 6, 2024
Random Land
A truck is towed, chaos ensues.
REPO MAN: Brooklyn New York, an Italian dude, not letting you get his truck. Keep up the payments. pic.twitter.com/LhqrD9rXwL
— Cornbread Mafioso (@Soulful1865) September 7, 2024
Another view pic.twitter.com/OTjQ2UifsT
— Cornbread Mafioso (@Soulful1865) September 7, 2024
Midnight Music: Alternative, 1995
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
https://www.mmamania.com/2024/9/10/24240431/retired-ufc-champion-demetrious-johnson-fighting-brain-health-improved-espn-cte-one-championship