Larry Johnson -- I DID NOT Strangle That Woman

Former NFL star Larry Johnson tells TMZ he did NOT strangle the woman he was arrested for allegedly beating up yesterday ... and he says there is evidence to prove it.

As TMZ first reported, the former Kansas City Chief was busted in Las Vegas early Friday morning after an argument with a woman allegedly turned violent. The woman claims Johnson strangled her until she nearly blacked out.

But Johnson claims the story is BS. He tells TMZ the woman -- who he says was just an old acquaintance -- would not leave his hotel room after a night of partying at Bank Nightclub. Johnson says the woman began to kick and slap him as he tried to remove her.

Johnson says once he got her outside the room, she began to try and kick the door down -- which Johnson feels should have been caught on surveillance cameras, proving she was never near unconsciousness.

The former running back also tells TMZ he tried to tell cops his side of the story, but they wanted no part of it ... saying he felt his prior arrests influenced their behavior.