Matt Brown, a seasoned warrior of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, recently spilled the beans on his decision to retire. And, oh boy, did he get real about it.
He took to X (you know, the artist formerly known as Twitter) on Saturday to drop the news. But, plot twist, the UFC folks were already in the loop. Seems like Brown had been mulling over this for a hot minute before he finally had a heart-to-heart with UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby.
Picture this: Brown’s at Los Angeles International Airport, about to catch a flight. Emotions? Sky-high. He’s on the phone with Shelby, spilling his retirement beans, and bam! The feels hit him. Hard. He even shared this wave of emotions hit him again when he went public on social media. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster.
Brown’s recount of the call to Shelby is straight out of a movie scene. There he was, at LAX, trying not to cry in public. “I can’t be crying in front of people,” he thought. But the tears came anyway. It was a moment of raw, unfiltered emotion. A realization that a significant chapter of his life was closing.
Fast forward to May 2023. Brown’s in the octagon, facing off against Court McGee. Spoiler alert: Brown knocks him out in the first round. Then, out of the blue, a fight offer against Max Griffin lands in his lap. But, for Brown, the spark just wasn’t there. This, among other reasons, nudged him towards retirement. With a record of 17-13 in the UFC and boasting the second-most knockouts in the promotion’s history, Brown’s legacy is nothing short of legendary. Plus, those nine bonus-winning performances? UFC welterweight record, baby.
So, there you have it. Matt Brown’s curtain call on a career that’s been nothing short of epic. From tearful airport calls to knockout victories, it’s been one heck of a ride.