MMA fighter Demetrious Johnson plans to consult all-time greats like Urijah Faber, Georges St-Pierre, and Khabib Nurmagomedov about retirement after his trilogy win over Adriano Moraes.
Destiny Johnson won’t be the only one consulted on whether Demetrious Johnson should retire after ONE Fight Night 10. Following a successful trilogy against Adriano Moraes, Johnson revealed that he plans to consult some all-time mixed martial arts greats for additional perspective on retiring. “Talking to my peers, talking to Urijah Faber – I’m going to reach out to [Georges St-Pierre], I’m going to reach out to Khabib Nurmagomedov,” Johnson said at the post-fight press conference. “I’m going to talk to these guys. I’m like, ‘Why did you guys stop?’
At 36 years old, Johnson had hinted at retirement before the trilogy, but also expressed interest in facing Kairat Akhmetov, who he sees as a threat. “I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong jokingly responded to Johnson’s statement, saying, “Wow, did he just say he’s not going to retire?” to which Johnson replied, “No, no, no, we’ll see.”
Retirement isn’t an unreasonable idea for a fighter often considered one of the greatest of all time. Johnson holds the record for the most consecutive title defenses in UFC history and has beaten a who’s who of talent at 125 pounds. However, Johnson may consider fighting on as well, and one of the reasons for that is his feelings during training camp. He admitted to having nightmares about his life after fighting during his camp for the fight against Moraes, causing him to question his future in the sport.
Ultimately, Johnson still plans on getting the input of his most important allies: his family. Discussing his feelings and fears with them will likely play a crucial role in whether or not he decides to retire from fighting.