Long-time UFC fighter Sam Stout has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 31.
Stout suffered a 51 second TKO at the hands of Frankie Perez at UFC Fight Night 74 in his native Canada last month, marking a trio of losses in a row with the other two coming by way of KO.
Stout has been fighting professionally for 12 years, with nine of them spent fighting in the UFC’s Octagon where he compiled a 9-11 record (20-12-1 for his career overall).
The Canadian often alternated between short spells of wins and losses during his UFC run and defeated the likes of Joe Lauzon, Matt Wiman, Yves Edwards and Spencer Fisher along the way.
Even in defeat Stout usually made his fights competitive, entertaining (racking up six ‘Fight Of The Night’ bonuses in the UFC) and up until recently had never been stopped due to strikes.
That made it even more concerning that he started to get finished with alarming ease over the past year, while it was evident that he wasn’t performing as he once did and it seems that he himself has noticed that and so has wisely decided not to endure any further punishment in the cage.
Read Stout’s retirement statement below.
“It has become clear to me that I am no longer able to compete at the highest level of mixed martial arts. Competing as a UFC fighter for the last 10 years has been something I will always look back on with great pride. I think my best days as a fighter are behind me and it would be a risk to my legacy and my health to continue competing. Therefore, I would like to announce my retirement from the sport of mixed martial arts.”
