Rashad Evans announces retirement from MMA

Former UFC light heavyweight champion and The Ultimate Fighter 2 winner Rashad Evans has fought for the last time.

On Monday, the 38-year-old Evans announced on ESPN’s Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show that he has made the decision to retire after having some time to think following his first-round knockout loss to Anthony Smith at UFC 225 on June 9 at the United Center in Chicago.

“I’m gonna retire,” Evans said. “There’s just so much that goes into it all, but at one point in my life I felt as if fighting was everything. It was everything. I put life second, but now life is taking over and now fighting has become second. Competing in a sport like mixed martial arts where you have a lot of guys who haven’t been to the top of the mountain and haven’t experienced it the things that I’ve experienced, they’re really hungry for it.

“Me, I was just lukewarm. I’ve been through a lot in this sport. I’ve fought a lot of fights and I don’t look at the sport the same way.”

Evans expressed regret going out on a loss, but acknowledged that he felt other things in life are “calling him.” He described himself as still fit enough to compete and still wanting to challenge himself in the cage, but that extra level of motivation is no longer present for him to fight again.

Prior to making the walk to the Octagon at UFC 225, Evans sensed that it could be the end for him.

“I kinda felt it was it,” Evans said, when asked how certain he was that Smith could be his last opponent. “I always said to myself when it’s time, I’ll know. And I always prayed that I would know when it’s time and when I walked out, I knew. I knew. It took me weeks to really admit it to myself.”

Debuting as a pro in April 2004, Evans compiled a 19-8-1 record competing primarily for the UFC. He joined the promotion as a top prospect after emerging as the heavyweight winner of TUF 2, though he immediately dropped down to light heavyweight following the conclusion of that tournament. He went unbeaten in his first eight UFC fights at 205 pounds, defeating the likes ofMichael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin.

It was the third-round TKO-win over Griffin at UFC 92 on Dec. 27, 2008 that earned Evans the UFC light heavyweight championship. He would drop it in his first defense against Lyoto Machida, but bounce back with four more high-profile victories including a heavily hyped grudge match withQuinton Jackson and a lopsided unanimous decision nod over future Bellator champion Phil Davis.

He would challenge for the light heavyweight title one more time at UFC 145 against Jon Jones, but fall short by unanimous decision.

Evans ended his career on a five-fight losing streak, including an 0-2 run at 185 pounds. Outside of fighting, Evans has been working as an MMA analyst for FOX Sports.