Jamie Pickett has been barely clinging onto a spot on the UFC roster for some time and after his latest unanimous decision loss to Eryk Anders this past weekend he’s announced that he’s retiring from the sport.
“I got a 6-year-old, I got kids who count on me, my little girls,” Pickett told reporters after the fight. “I want to be a positive role model in their lives. I want to show them, I want to help guide them through life, navigate through the world — but I can’t do it if I’m messed up from fighting.
“My body’s just not holding up. And I love the sport, I’m very appreciative the UFC for letting me fight out my contract. And if they came right now and told me they’d give more another two contracts, the answer would still be the same.”
The 35-year-old Pickett had to battle hard just to get into the UFC, having lost twice on the Contender Series before finally claiming a TKO victory in 2020 that secured his spot on the roster.
However Pickett’s struggles continued in the Octagon, suffering seven losses from nine fights on the sport’s biggest stage, with his latest defeat marking his fifth loss in a row and leaving him with an overall career record of 13-11.
