Former WEC champ Miguel Torres retires
Miguel Torres has parted ways with his first love.
In a heartfelt Facebook post published Wednesday, the former WEC bantamweight champ announced his retirement, saying his competitive fire had waned and 17 years' worth of bumps and bruises had taken their toll.
Can no longer do it the way i have been. To not do it the right way or to fight small battles in the middle of training camps leads to ugly situations in the cage. It breaks my heart to write this but i officially announce my retirement from mixed martial arts.
People ask me how was my experience, my answer is bitter sweet, when you've risen from nothing to fly so high you burn your wings on the sun, the decent is a trip but once you're back where you started again nothing will ever be the same. Always wanted to make a mark and be a part of history, just didn't end up the way imagined when i was a kid.
When i close my eyes at night and i breathe deep, can still hear the roar of the crowd, the need to satisfy their lust for danger and excitement, it keeps me up at night it's so loud. Goodbye my love, thank you for the memories it was something else.
Torres will be best remembered for his run in the now-defunct Zuffa-owned promotion, where he extended a 12-fight win streak to 17 - all but two of them stoppages - and claimed the 135-pound title with a first-round tapout of Chase Beebe in just his second fight under the WEC banner.
Torres' first-rate submission skills and trio of title defenses earned him accolades as the world's preeminent bantamweight until Dominick Cruz came into his own, but Torres never returned to those heights after being dethroned by Brian Bowles at WEC 42.
The 36-year-old made the jump to the Octagon when the WEC and UFC merged in 2011, compiling a 2-2 promotional record. He did fight indomitable flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson to a close decision at UFC 130, but received his walking papers in 2012 after suffering a first-round KO at the hands of Michael McDonald.
Torres would split his final eight bouts over brief stints in several promotions, and hangs up his gloves with a career record of 44-9 and a WEC record of 6-2.
- With h/t to r/MMA