Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson (18-3 (1)) is starting to look at life outside of the cage.
Just 32 years old, Thomson realizes that he’s only got a few years left to remain competitive at the top levels and wants one more title run before he retires from fighting inside the cage.
Thomson has won his last two fights and is 10-1 in his last eleven. The lone loss was to current Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez in December of 2009, when he lost the title by unanimous decision after a years layoff.
Now “The Punk” is ready for the next chapter in his life and already knows who he wants to face next, DREAM fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-6-2).
“I feel like I’ve done everything I possibly could. I’ve been fighting for a long time now. I’m going to make this last run at the title and see what happens. I’m at that age where I’m ready to have kids and open my own gym. I want to do my own thing. I’m ready to settle down…I’m thinking (my next fight) will probably end up being Kawajiri. That’s a fight I might kick back and wait for. I’ve wanted that fight forever. He’s somebody that excites me.”
Kawajiri recently lost a DREAM title bout to champion Shinya Aoki at DREAM 15 in August and had been on a four fight win streak. The Japanese fighter has fought three notable lightweight champions. losing each bout, having faced Aoki, Eddie Alvarez the Bellator champ, and Strikeforce title holder Gilbert Melendez.
Check out Thomson’s thoughts on the WEC – UFC merger, “The simple fact of the matter was that the WEC failed,” at LasVegasSun.com.