UFC veteran Eddie Wineland has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 37 following a 59 second TKO loss to Cody Stamann at UFC On ESPN 37 this past weekend in Austin, Texas.
“I didn’t get an opportunity to leave my gloves in the cage but as Jim Morrison once sang, ‘this is the end,’” wrote Wineland on Instagram. “The road I’ve traveled over the past almost 20 years has seen many highs and lows, it’s been a fun ride but this train has reached its final destination! I am forever grateful and extremely thankful for the opportunities given by [the UFC], [UFC president Dana White], and [UFC matchmaker] Sean Shelby. Everything you guys and the company have done for and given to me I am forever grateful!
“Thank you and thank you to the fans who’ve always stood in my corner…officially #retired. Thank you for the memories, time to turn the page and on to the next chapter in life!”
Wineland’s decision to hang up his gloves seems like a wise decision given that this was his third loss in a row due to strikes in the first round, having also been KO’d by Sean O’Malley and TKO’d by John Castenada in the past couple of years.
Much of Wineland’s 24-16-1 career was fought under the ZUFFA banner, having originally been the WEC’s first ever bantamweight champion, compiling a 5-2 record there before the company was folded into the UFC in 2011.
Wineland went on to fight for over a decade in the Octagon, but experienced mixed results, compiling a 6-10 record, claiming wins over the likes of Scott Jorgensen, Brad Pickett, Yves Joubouin, Frankie Saenz and Tayeka Mizugaki along the way.
