UFC women’s bantamweight fighter Julia Avila has announced her retirement from the sport after her fight at UFC Fight Night 251 in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
The 36-year-old Avila’s announcement came after a unanimous decision loss to Jacqueline Cavalcanti in the UFC Fight Night 251 prelims, which marked her third defeat in her last four Octagon outings.
“This is it. I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to fight on the world’s best stage,” Avila told Daniel Cormier after the fight. “Usually I start my fight with the Psalm 144:1 — May God strengthen my fists for battle and my fingers for warfare. But today I say, God says, ‘Well done my good and faithful servant.’”
Avila joined the UFC in 2018 with a 6-1 record and started well with wins over Pannie Kianzad and Gina Mazany, before suffering a decision loss to Sijara Eubanks in 2020.
She then got back on track with a submission win against Julija Stoliarenko, but she was then finished by Miesha Tate ahead of her loss on Saturday night, bringing her career to a close with an overall 9-4 record.
“I’ve been thinking about this,” Avila said at the post-fight press conference on Saturday night. “I remember one time after a hard training session – It was really difficult for me to pick up my daughter. And we just sat down on the ground and cried because I couldn’t lift her up. I was so injured, and I knew it was time then.
“Taking time away from watching her grow up, just the money, the energy, the time – I just don’t have enough of it. I have to choose between being a mother and being an athlete and her needs far outweigh my dreams.”
