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After leading the UFC flyweight division for nearly six years, former champion Demetrious Johnson lost his title in a controversial division decision against Henry Cejudo at UFC 227. From the how things look now, instead of a rematch of the man who dethroned him, "Mighty Mouse" may have completely disappeared from the UFC.
ESPN's Ariel Helwani reports that a historic arrangement is in the making to "send" Johnson to the ONE Championship, while in exchange former Bellator champion and welterweight champion Ben Askren will finally be integrated into the UFC.
According to many sources, the UFC has announced the signing of an agreement on the release of its contract with former flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson, to allow him to sign with ONE. In return, one of them, Ben Askren, former welterweight champion, will be removed from his contract. so that he can finally join the UFC.
Sources say that "trade" has not been finalized yet, but has been extensively discussed and is listed by several sources as imminent achievements. All parties involved hope that it will be finalized soon.
Johnson and Askren have several battles left, according to their sources.
It is therefore not a "trade" in the clbadic sense of the term, in relation to other sports, in which trading partners would also exchange contracts. In this case, the two men would be released from their respective promotions, freeing them to "trade" and sign new agreements.
It should be noted that Askren recently said that there was a 98% chance that he was heading to the UFC, which is certainly a major change in years of quarrels with Dana White and apparently no chance for him to sign the promotion. He has not fought since November 2017, when he had TKO'd Shinya Aoki, and is more or less half-retired.
Johnson had his own difficulties with the UFC, famously writing a lengthy statement last year about what he perceived as a tactic of "intimidation" and mistreatment to his respect. White later made fun of these claims.
It is interesting to note that Johnson's coach, Matt Hume, is also vice president of ONE Championship operations and owns shares in the company. Sources have recently told Bloody Elbow that Hume was a key figure in the success of what could be a major moment in the history of MMA.
This news comes just days after UN, former lightweight champion Bellator and UFC, Eddie Alvarez.
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