Johns targets third title in twilight of career

Welsh featherweight Brett Johns admits it will "soon be time to put the gloves away" as he prepares to fight for a third world title.

The 33-year-old will face off against Nikolay Grozdev for the Way of the Warrior (WOW) featherweight title on 13 December in Madrid.

Johns won world titles at bantamweight in Cage Warriors and Titan FC before competing in the UFC, Bellator and PFL.

The Swansea native says a win in the Spanish capital in his 27th professional bout would be "the icing on the cake" for his career.

"It's a very tough fight, I'm not naive," said Johns.

"I know what's coming round the corner, but I want to fight the best guys.

"When my career is dead in the water people will say he fought the best guys out there, and he fought the best he possibly could."

Johns earned a first round finish in his last bout with a rare Suloev Stretch as he headlined the WOW 22 card in Marbella.

It was the Welshman's first bout in 14 months following defeats by Tyler Diamond and Timur Khizriev, who won the 2024 PFL tournament finals.

"I'd contemplated retirement, I had two fights and two losses, fought in the April, my wife delivered our daughter in the May and then I fought the end of June 2024," said Johns.

"It came at the wrong time but in the same breath I couldn't say no to the opportunity of fighting with the PFL but now we're on a different path and I'm really liking where it's going."

And the Welshman was equally delighted after deciding to take - and win - August's fight with Georgian Levan Kirtadze.

"It was more to do with the fact, have I still got this?" he added.

"Obviously I answered my own question on fight night and got the win in three minutes, so yeah I was chuffed."

Topuria's influence with WOW

WOW is part-owned by the UFC's lightweight champion Ilia Topuria.

Johns says Topuria's involvement has helped to grow the promotion and garner more attention on their product.

"I'd be lying if I said that Ilia wasn't some sort of influence," he explained.

"He's the best lightweight on the planet right now and having him involved in WOW has only drawn more eyes on that promotion.

"It's a new company compared to the rest of the fight promotions, but his influence gets the eyes of the world to watch that promotion.

"Of course I wanted to be involved, a slice of that pie and attention, and that's why it was an easy decision to make [to sign with them]."

Johns says his treatment in the promotion encouraged him to come back to fight with them again.

"I just liked the way they treated me, for the first time in my life I felt like I was in a weird way a big fish to those guys," added Johns.

"There wasn't enough they could do for us and I just loved the way they were.

"I'm enjoying the journey now for the first time since the start of my professional career."

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Legacy and gratitude

Despite being the second Welshman to sign with the UFC and the first Welshman to fight in the promotion, Johns is humble in his achievements in the sport.

"I don't consider myself the best fighter to come out of Wales, I just want to be considered one of the best fighters," he said.

"We've got a selection of great fighters that have come from Wales fighting in the UFC.

"I'm just happy to be named alongside those guys but I do want to cement my name with those who were the best fighters to come out of Wales and I'll be happy."

As Johns prepares for perhaps one last swansong, the Welshman is appreciative of his career.

"I'm so grateful for the sport and the people I've met through the sport, people following my career, my coaches who I've looked up to as father figures, my team-mates as brothers to me," added Johns.

"It's been one hell of a journey but I'm happy with what I've done, this has snowballed into something way bigger than I ever thought."

Having become a father for the second time Johns says his target now is to be a "world champion dad" and accepts his fighting days will soon be over.

"I've been fighting professionally for 13 and a half years, it's given me so much opportunity, opened so many doors.

"When that day comes it'll be a very emotional day for me but like I said my focus now is starting to change a little bit."