Former UFC title challenger Lamas retires
A longtime featherweight contender is hanging up his gloves.
Ricardo Lamas announced his official retirement Monday, according to MMA Junkie Radio.
After a "Fight of the Night" win over Bill Algeo at UFC Fight Night on Aug. 29, the former title challenger said he had been "wrestling with" the idea of retirement. Lamas said he would talk to his family before making a final decision, adding that retirement had been on his mind since 2017.
"You always hear about these athletes that don't know when to hang the gloves up, and they experience this downward slide, and it's just like, 'Man, this isn't the same guy he was before,'" Lamas told SiriusXM's "Unlocking the Cage" last week, according to MMA Junkie's Matt Erickson.
"I don't want to leave the sport like that. I don't want to leave with my face in the mud. I want to leave holding my head up high."
Lamas gained notoriety during a six-fight stint in WEC from 2009-10. "The Bully" signed with the UFC in 2011 and reached a featherweight title shot against longtime champion Jose Aldo in 2014. He lost that bout via unanimous decision but remained a top contender for years afterward.
Lamas holds notable wins over Cub Swanson, Charles Oliveira, Dennis Bermudez, James Krause, and Diego Sanchez.
The 38-year-old leaves the sport with a 2-3 record in his last five contests. Lamas is 20-8 overall in pro MMA.