Benavidez retiring from MMA

Joseph Benavidez has decided to call it a career.

The longtime UFC flyweight contender is retiring from MMA, he told Marc Raimondi of ESPN.

"I kind of knew I wasn't gonna fight, but I was just kind of letting it linger," Benavidez said. "You never know. But it's just come to that point."

The 37-year-old, who lost his last three fights, said in July he wanted to retire off a win. He last stepped into the Octagon in March against Askar Askarov and his last victory dates back to 2019 versus Jussier Formiga.

Benavidez made his professional MMA debut in 2006, and he walks away from the sport with 36 fights under his belt, including 26 UFC bouts. He posted a 19-7 record in the UFC and fought for the flyweight title four times - twice against Demetrious Johnson and twice against Deiveson Figueiredo.

Benavidez holds the UFC flyweight division record for wins and knockouts with 13 and five, respectively.