Former UFC champion turned ONE Championship star, Demetrious Johnson is still at the top of his game. After a nearly 20-year run in professional mixed martial arts, Johnson may be near the end of his career but is still performing at the highest level. Johnson is getting ready for his next bout in a few weeks but can’t help but think about the road that got him there and where that road will be taking him after this fight.
Johnson’s next bout will be a trilogy bout fight against Adriano Moraes. This is a flyweight title fight scheduled to take place on May 5, 2023, at ONE Fight Night 10. Johnson and Moraes have a history together as they are 1-1 so far in their meetings. Johnson would like to put this rivalry to rest and get that second win over Moreas.
Demetrious Johnson might be ready to hang up his gloves after his fight at ONE Fight Night 10
Johnson has had a storied career in MMA. Many will say that he is one of the best to has ever fought. He held records in the UFC and dominated the flyweight division for years. When he left to join ONE Championship he continued to prove that he is one of the best. Now he might be looking to become great at something else. He was asked by Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour if his next fight will be his last.
“It’s definitely possible, being 36 I sit down with the wife and the kids and even my, my close friends, my inner circle who they don’t watch mixed martial arts, they don’t train, they all have normal citizen jobs and sometimes I sit down and think how much more do I need to do?” he said. “Like, how much more do I want to do? I’ve stated in a couple interviews I want to compete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and in IBJJF because my kids are doing it. There comes a point where it’s like, how much more do I need to do?”
Johnson is not ready to make the decision to walk away just yet. He is focused and prepared for his next fight. In the aftermath, he will take a look at his career and see if he is willing to continue.
“I feel that there has come a point in time where I need to force myself like okay, we’ve relied on my body and my athleticism to pay my bills,” he said. “It’s time to start looking at other avenues to bring in revenue to sustain my lifestyle so we’ll see you know, go out there, win, lose, or draw, I’m going to go on vacation with the wife and kids, put our feet in the sand and sit back and go okay, do I don’t want to continue to fight or do I want to focus on something else.”
This ONE Fight Night 10 is the first event by the organization to be held in America. ONE Championship has traditionally held events in Asia, but once they signed Johnson and some other American stars the plan was to begin holding events in the United State. That was all before the COVID-19 pandemic which delayed the plans. Now the first UFC card will be taking place at 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.
