Tampa – UFC welterweight Michael Johnson turned the clock back a bit at UFC Tampa when he scored a KO victory over Ottman Azaitar on Saturday night.
Then he looked back at a fight he’d like to get a second shot at.
“The Justin Gaethje fight. That’s the one that I want,” Johnson told Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.
“I think everybody would love a Gaethje-Johnson 2. I gave him that opportunity when he came over when nobody else wanted to. I think he should go ahead and give that back and we need to run one. I know he knows he got away from that one.”
Johnson (23-19) was impressive on the night given that, at 38-years-old, he’s still able to compete with the younger fighters and even finish them. How much longer he’s willing to do this however may depend on how he feels.
On Saturday night he felt young.
“5 years, 10 years, I mean I always tell people I wan to do 8 to 10 more years,” he said.
“They look at me with this face, but I’m not slowing down anytime soon. As long as my body’s healthy, and I can get through what I need to get through, I’m going to fight for as long as I can.”
Then he quoted someone that isn’t commonly quoted, but drops dimes when you least expect it.
“I think Nate Diaz said it the best. He’s turned into like a good friend. He was an opponent of mine so we always keep in touch. He made a comment that said ‘Sh*t i’ll fight till I’m 50. I’m just getting started.’,” Johnson said.
“That’s what it is man. I’m just getting started. This might be my peak.”
Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Michael Johnson above.
