Full Contact Fighter Database

Home

>

News

>

Article

Media

Monday, Aug 08, 2011

Matt Hamill Announces Retirement

By FCF Staff

Following his second round, stoppage loss to Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 133 Saturday night, 34 year-old light-heavyweight Matt Hamill has announced he’s retiring from MMA. The accomplished wrestler made the announcement today via his official website.

Today is a sad day for me. After six years and 13 fights in the UFC I’m ready to hang up my gloves and retire from this amazing sport.

The UFC has been extremely good to me and given me an opportunity to make a great living. That exposure has allowed me options outside the Octagon as well. I just don’t have it in me to fight anymore and my last two performances have shown that.

The loss to Gustafsson was Hamill’s second in a row, after he dropped a unanimous decision to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 130 in May. Prior to the losses, the former TUF competitor had won five straight, with one of the victories coming via disqualification against current champ Jon Jones.

I was ready to make this decision after UFC 130 but my friends, family coaches and most importantly my daughter encouraged me to give it one last chance. My career has been plagued by injuries starting with The Ultimate Fighter and disrupted my training ever since.

There hasn’t been even one training camp where I’ve been able to train without training around an injury. I have not been kind to my body and it has nothing left after 28 years of non stop competition. It’s time to finally give it a rest.

Hamill also added that he will continue to remain on as coach at the Mohawk Valley MMA Gym in New York State, before thanking his family, friends, training partners and the UFC.

A movie documenting the career of Hamill is set to be released this fall.

Hamill leaves competitive MMA with a record of 10-4.

 

Photo via Mohawk Valley MMA

posted by FCF Staff @ 4:45 pm
Have a comment about this story? Please share with us by filling out the fields below.

Comments are closed.