Demetrious Johnson has always kept his circle small, but the decision to freeze his relationship with Kyle Antony Mee, aka the MMA Guru, still surprised fans. After all, their podcast, The Mighty Guru Show, was a massive hit, combining Johnson’s quiet analysis with Guru’s loud, abrasive approach. It all worked until Guru went on a rant during the UFC 322 livestream that ‘Mighty Mouse’ just couldn’t ignore.

The fallout was quick. The clips went viral, criticism piled on, and Demetrious Johnson suddenly found himself embroiled in controversies he had no involvement with. Fans sought direct answers from him, so he decided to clear the air on his YouTube channel, explaining why he had decided to take a step back.

Demetrious Johnson reveals why he cut ties with MMA Guru

Demetrious Johnson claims the partnership is “on ice” because Guru went too far. He doesn’t watch every stream or “babysit” Guru’s content, but the UFC 322 rant compelled him to intervene. “I did call him out on it off-camera… I said, Dog, you can’t be saying this stuff,” he said on his YouTube channel, recalling their private conversation before the next episode.

He hoped the situation would calm down, but the response he got made that impossible. MMA Guru reached out to him, and they decided that splitting up was the best option. ‘Might Mouse’ claims he never asked Guru to change his style, which made him “the biggest MMA channel on YouTube right now.” However, he would not tolerate slurs, insults, or digs at Dagestani fighters and their religions.

“If my son talked like that, he’d be getting an a– whooping,” he continued, emphasizing where his beliefs lie. The controversy only grew after an old 2019 video surfaced showing the MMA Guru laughing at donations while ridiculing Marlon Vera‘s disabled daughter. So, it was no surprise that fans requested Johnson to explain why he would remain associated with him.

Guru later confirmed on X that the podcast was over, taking digs at critics and admitting that he will likely act the same way in future streams. Well, Demetrious Johnson heard that message too, with MMA Guru basically admitting he couldn’t promise any restraint, and that sealed it for the UFC legend.

‘Mighty Mouse’ stated that he likes Islam Makhachev, respects Dagestani fighters, and respects every religion; therefore, standing next to such rhetoric just didn’t add up. He cannot modify how Guru speaks, but he doesn’t have to co-sign it either. In fact, MMA Guru didn’t want Johnson taking heat for him either.

MMA Guru doesn’t want Demetrious Johnson’s legacy to suffer

After admitting that he couldn’t promise to avoid future controversies, MMA Guru explained why he stepped away: he didn’t want Johnson catching strays for what he said. He is aware that his style invites criticism, and he was unwilling to let it cross over to someone with a spotless reputation like Demetrious Johnson.

He even spelled it out in his video: “I can’t have Demetrious Johnson’s great legacy getting dragged through the dirt, so I stepped down… There should be no hatred towards Demetrious Johnson here.” It was a straightforward admission that the split was not about personal conflict but about preventing future problems.

With the Mighty Guru Show on hiatus, it’s worth remembering how quickly their collaboration took off. Their first interview together drew a massive audience and resulted in a podcast that listeners quickly engaged with, running strong for five months. It’s unknown whether they’ll revive it after the dust has settled, but for the time being, both have taken a step back to defend what they’ve built individually.