Chad Mendes is stepping away from combat sports for good.
The former UFC featherweight contender called it a career hit after losing to Eddie Alvarez in BKFC 41 co-main event Saturday night. Mendes announced his retirement from mixed martial arts in 2019, but later signed with BKFC, splitting between two appearances.
“I’ve been going back and forth with this. I obviously retired from the UFC back in 2018, and I’m done honestly. I’ve been putting my heart and soul into a few acts and having a good time for the family I love,” Mendes said at BKFC 41’s post-fight press conference. doing it.
“I had no desire [to fight], But something like this happened, and obviously the pay is really good, and it’s something new, and it kind of excites me, so I did it. I was done after that first one, but then they screwed someone up like this dude [Alvarez] in front of me, so I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll do another one. This could be a retirement battle.”
Mendes, 37, believes it’s time to focus on family and other endeavors.
“I don’t need to do that anymore,” Mendes said. “It’s fun, but I feel like at this point I’m just being selfish. I’ve got a strong family that loves me, and I’ve got other things in the business that I’m pouring my heart and soul into to be successful. But man, that was one hell of a fight.”
Mendes went 18-5 as a mixed martial arts pro, with wins over the likes of Ricardo Lamas, Clay Guida, Darren Elkins and Cobb Swanson during his tenure. He has been knocked out of the UFC upon losing four of his last six fights.