Demetrious Johnson has reached a point in his career when invites continue to come, even if fights no longer do. Retirement hasn’t stopped people from wondering what it would take to see him fight again, especially when the format feels lighter, and the risk appears lesser. This time, the question wasn’t about MMA, but about wrestling and if ‘Mighty Mouse’ might be enticed to return to the mat.

And to stir the pot, the request came directly from Henry Cejudo, a familiar foe who has decided to compete again in Real American Freestyle. What ensued was neither awkward nor tense. It was an obvious point of contrast, with one man still driven by the need to compete and the other content to flip the page, even when the door was opened right in front of him.

Demetrious Johnson draws a clear boundary on RAF wrestling talk

The conversation took place following a Celebrity Flag Football Challenge at UC Berkeley Memorial Stadium, later shared on Demetrious Johnson’s YouTube channel. Henry Cejudo seemed excited as he spoke about his comeback to competition, citing the appeal of wrestling again and the chance Real American Freestyle provides at this point in his career.

‘Triple C’ said, “I’m stoked. I think it’s good stuff. They’re paying good money, DJ,” before suggesting to bring ‘Mighty Mouse’ with him into the mix. “I’m gonna get paid really good. A lot of people are calling you out, though. That’s just respect,” he added. Demetrious Johnson’s response? ‘Mighty Mouse’ smiled, then cut straight through it.

“Yeah. Don’t try to call me into this s—,” he responded, half-laughing but fully serious. To double down, he further added, “I don’t wrestle, man. I’m retired. I’m DJing all my other s— and super busy.” Johnson went on to explain why the notion never really had a chance.

He stated that he has never competed in freestyle wrestling and has no desire to learn it today. He lacks motivation. “I’ll give it to you, baby. You still want to compete. You’re the competitor, not me,” he added. It wasn’t dismissive—it was matter-of-fact. That distinction carries weight when placed in context.

Demetrious Johnson said in early 2024 that a trilogy with Cejudo may happen “if the money was crazy enough,” shortly after winning the ONE Flyweight title with a knockout of Adriano Moraes. The fight never materialized. ‘Mighty Mouse’ defended the belt, retired as champion, and ruled out any future cross-promotional possibilities.

Henry Cejudo followed a different path. His UFC comeback stalled after a number of losses, leading to his retirement in late 2025. He is now set to headline Real American Freestyle 6 versus Urijah Faber, still chasing competition in a new form. For now, Johnson and Cejudo’s rivalry has remained at one win each.

And this exchange didn’t reopen that chapter. It clarified why it’s staying closed. Demetrious Johnson is happy being retired, although he does have one regret, and it has nothing to do with his own career. Instead, it is about pushing Henry Cejudo to go for one last run that caused a big dent in his legacy as a fighter.

Johnson takes blame for Cejudo’s failed UFC return

Johnson’s resolve about staying retired stems from an open admission of regret. If there is one thing he wishes he could change, it is his role in persuading Henry Cejudo to return after his original retirement. ‘Mighty Mouse’ has admitted that words meant to motivate competition may have pushed his former rival back into a run that eventually damaged how his career ended.

Demetrious Johnson, speaking on his YouTube channel, cited Cejudo’s loss against Aljamain Sterling as the start of the slide. “He loses there, then goes on a four-fight losing streak before he retires,” Johnson said, before adding, “I always feel like it’s my fault that I kind of brought him back out of retirement or gave him some words to come back.”

‘Mighty Mouse’ believed that MMA provided the finest combination of salary and opportunity with minimal training at the time, but he now admits that this thinking came at a cost. “Father Time is undefeated,” he stated. This cost was evident in Cejudo’s final fight against Payton Talbott in December 2025.

Johnson watched live and reacted when Talbott put Cejudo down with an inside trip—one of his own moves. “That’s when you gotta hang them up,” Johnson joked. The humor worked, but the message was clear. Seeing a legend beaten with his own weapon boosted Johnson’s reluctance to return, and that’s why he wishes ‘Triple C’ had stayed retired, too.