Demetrious Johnson (image via ONE Championship/YouTube)

By Kelsey Mowatt

As Demetrious Johnson continues to prepare for his trilogy fight with Adriano Moraes, the decorated fighter has reported it could be the final bout of his career.

Johnson is set to fight Moraes in a rubber match at ONE Championship’s May 5th card, which is taking place in Broomfield, Colorado. The card will mark the first time ONE has held an event in the United States.

Recently, the former UFC flyweight champion and reigning, ONE champ, appeared on “The MMA Hour”. While discussing his future, Johnson revealed he could fight for the last time on May 5th (quotes via MMA Fighting).

“It’s definitely possible [this is my last fight],” Johnson said. “Being 36, I sit down with the wife and kids, even my close friends, my inner circle who they don’t watch mixed martial arts, they don’t train, they all have normal citizen jobs you could say, and sometimes I sit there and think, how much more do I need to do? How much more do I want to do?”

“I’ve stated in a couple of interviews, I want to compete in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in IBJJF, because my kids are doing it, too. There comes a point where it’s like how much more do I need to do?”

Johnson started fighting professionally back in 2007 and has gone 31-4-1 to date.

“I feel there has to come a point in time. I’ve been using this quote — you go to a party, you’re having a good time, you see the girls and all that stuff, you start drinking, you have too many drinks, you get drunk. You might stay at the party too long. I have these feelings and these emotions within myself where it’s like, maybe it’s just time to do something else.”

In Johnson’s last fight, which went down in August, 2022, he viciously KO’d Moraes with a flying knee. Moraes knocked Johnson out with a knee in their first fight, which took place in April, 2021.

The loss to Moraes was the first defeat Johnson had incurred since 2018, when he lost the UFC flyweight title to Henry Cejudo, via split decision.