Demetrious Johnson wants to understand why GSP, Khabib Nurmagomedov retired

Demetrious Johnson (L) / Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov (R) -- Photo by ONE Championship
Demetrious Johnson (L) / Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov (R) -- Photo by ONE Championship

American mixed martial arts legend Demetrious Johnson put to pause talk of his retirement following his most recent fight, choosing instead to consult other greats in the game first.

‘Mighty Mouse’ successfully defended the ONE flyweight world title against former division king and rival Adriano Moraes at ONE Fight Night 10 on Prime Video on May 5 in the United States.

Demetrious Johnson won a unanimous decision against Moraes in their headlining trilogy fight at ONE Championship’s first live on-ground show in the U.S., which took place at 1stBank Center in Denver, Colorado.

The reigning champion was a step ahead throughout the contest, never allowing ‘Mikinho’ to gain much headway en route to a convincing victory.

In the lead-up, talk was rife that 36-year-old Johnson would announce his retirement after the match. Such an announcement, however, did not come.

Following the world title showdown, ‘Mighty Mouse’ said he would first consult with his family, particularly his wife, and retired MMA greats like Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov on his retirement plans.

The pride of Parkland, Washington, shared during the post-event press conference:

“You know ‘Why did you guys stop?’ Those guys [GSP and Nurmagomedov] could’ve kept on fighting and there comes a point in time, I’m 36 years old and you know, do I just keep on doing this and give the other athletes the opportunity to beat me and add to their legacy?”

While there is no word yet on him retiring, Demetrious Johnson is tipped to be facing former ONE flyweight world champion Kairat Akhmetov of Kazakhstan in his next title defense.

‘The Kazakh’, currently the No. 2 contender in the division, also saw action at ONE Fight Night 10 and defeated Australian Reece McLaren by unanimous decision.

North American fans who want to catch the replay of ONE Fight Night 10 can do so for free via Amazon Prime.

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