Alex Morono hopes a 25th UFC fight is in his future, and if so, it will be his last.
Longtime welterweight veteran Morono (24-13 MMA, 13-10 UFC) suffered a fourth straight loss at UFC Fight Night 266 on Saturday when he dropped a unanimous decision to Daniil Donchenko at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
At 35, Morono has been a professional for more than 15 years. He made his UFC debut in January 2016 and has maintained a roster spot ever since, but now the losses are adding up and he can see the writing on the wall.
With two dozen octagon appearances under his belt, Morono is hoping for one more chance to end his career on his own terms. However, he seems to understand that four consecutive defeats might not warrant it.
“This war horse has some miles on him for damn sure. If this was my last ride, I’ll go out with my head held high,” Morono wrote in a statement on Instagram. “In a perfect world, my next fight will be my last. The UFC has been my home for the last decade. No where I’d rather fight. No where I’d rather retire. I’m confident and hopeful they’ll give me one last dance.
“It’s been a hell of a career. Genuine thank you for all of the support over the years. Stay tuned for what’s next. Death or victory.”
Morono was bloodied and nearly finished by Donchenko in the opening round at UFC Fight Night 266. He showed the toughness and resiliency that’s been a trait of his career, however, in gutting it out for all three rounds and swinging for the fences.
If the UFC opts not to give Morono another fight, he will end his promotional tenure with notable wins over the likes of Donald Cerrone, Max Griffin, Tim Means and Court McGee.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC veteran Alex Morono wants one more fight before retirement