"A shame we have to get old" - John Wayne Parr says there's no place he'd rather be than the circle

John Wayne Parr has been keeping himself busy since retiring from active competition, yet he still misses the times when he’s the one squaring up for martial arts glory.

The legendary Australian striker is now coaching full-time and his most recent outing saw him appear in the corner for Reece McLaren’s victory over Xie Wei at ONE 158: Tawanchai vs. Larsen last Friday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

While he’s still close to the circle, Parr said that nothing compares to the thrill and drama of martial arts.

In an Instagram post, John Wayne Parr wrote:

“It’s a shame we have to get old. As there is no place I’d rather than be fighting inside the @onechampionship Circle under those bright lights 🤩.”

Parr is a multi-time world champion in both Muay Thai and kickboxing and holds an incredible 99-35-1 record in his career. Seeking his 100th win, ‘The Gunslinger’ fought the final match of his career when he took on Filipino mixed martial arts legend Eduard Folayang at ONE X in March this year.

Unfortunately for Parr, the 100th win remained a dream after losing to Folayang via unanimous decision. Nevertheless, the fight between the two martial arts greats was nothing short of spectacular.

The two veterans put on an absolute classic, with Folayang dictating the first two rounds and Parr nearly pulling off a miraculous comeback in the third and final frame.

Content with where he is in life, Parr thanked ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong for the opportunity to end his storied career in the organization.

Sityodtong commented three fire emojis below Parr’s post and the 46-year-old took that opportunity to express his thanks.

“@yodchatri I’m so happy I had the opportunity to fight in the ONE Circle and be part of the promotion sir 🙏🏻.”

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John Wayne Parr is proud of Reece McLaren’s achievements

Though he misses competing, John Wayne Parr is also having a blast being in the corner of McLaren.

Parr was proud of how McLaren utilized his improved striking to set up his grappling repertoire against Xie.

After gaging the match on the feet, McLaren exploded and took Xie’s back and eventually submitting the Chinese striker with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their ONE 158 match.

“Massive congratulations to my buddy @reecelightning91! Had me worried after getting dropped early. But stayed composed and got the job done. So happy! Thank you @onechampionship for the opportunity to travel to Singapore once again to be part of the of greatest martial arts promotion in the world,” posted Parr on Instagram.