KSI’s one-minute grappling battle with Demetrious Johnson goes horribly wrong as influencer quits in seconds
The UK’s most popular influencer, KSI, got a rude awakening on the mats from former UFC champ Demetrious Johnson.
Many non-MMA athletes think they have what it takes to survive in the gym against some of the baddest men and women on the planet. For KSI, he experienced a brutal lesson thanks to one of the all-time greatest combatants.
KSI and former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson share a cordial relationship. The two have chopped it up on podcasts, and the two recently trained together amid KSI’s uncertain boxing future.
During their time in the gym, KSI accepted Johnson’s challenge to survive a full minute of grappling with the MMA legend, and it didn’t go according to plan.
Former UFC champ Demetrious Johnson teaches KSI a brutal lesson in grappling in ‘manhandling’
KSI was confident he’d survive a full minute grappling with Johnson, especially starting the challenge in full mount. But KSI quickly faced a harsh reality as Johnson showcased his grappling precision.
Johnson, known for his speed and technique during his illustrious MMA career, wasted little time advancing positions against KSI’s inexperience. Right as the challenge began, Johnson transitioned from KSI’s full mount to quickly get his back in seconds.
After Johnson forced KSI to tap to a choke, KSI called for multiple do-overs, but things would get worse for the UK influencer.
Johnson proceeded to chase down an evasive KSI, earning a massive takedown and, as KSI described later in the clip, ‘manhandling’ the popular influencer.
Watch Johnson and KSI’s full grappling session below.
KSI tried to survive against Might Mouse for 1 minute but he destroyed him 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/7T2grqYxml
— KSI NEWS (@ksinews_) June 16, 2025
After their grappling session ended, Johnson offered to give KSI a taste of what it’s like to get kicked in the leg by a professional MMA fighter. Kicking at ‘1 percent’ power, Johnson collapsed KSI and bewildered the social media giant, despite attempting to take it easy on him.
All in all, KSI got some great one-on-one time with the MMA legend Johnson, and the two sides seemed to take their brief competitiveness in stride. But KSI’s longtime foe didn’t share a rave review for how he performed against Johnson.
Dillon Danis reacted to KSI’s short-lived grappling session
KSI and Dillon Danis were supposed to square off in a boxing match earlier this year, before KSI withdrew due to an illness. Danis accused KSI of lying about the withdrawal as his rival teased retirement in a series of social media streams.
In a recent post to X, Danis reacted to KSI’s recent roll with Johnson.
“My grappling is on another level, not even comparable to Mighty Mouse,” Danis posted.
“He’d say it himself. Now just imagine what I’d do to KSI or any of them [LAUGHS].”
Danis hasn’t competed in combat sports since a boxing loss to Logan Paul in 2023. He was booked to face former UFC titleholder Tony Ferguson in the now-defunct Global Fight League before a series of event cancellations by the promotion.
