Decorated wrestler and UFC fighter Mark Madsen has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 39.
Madsen joined the UFC in 2019 with impressive credentials, having been an Olympic wrestling silver medalist in 2016 and having also compiled an undefeated 9-0 record in MMA.
Madsen settled into life in the UFC well, winning five fights in a row, including decision victories over the likes of Clay Guida, Vinc Pichel and Austin Hubbard.
However, Madsen then went on to suffer a submission loss to Grant Dawson in 2022 and was then TKO’d by Jared Gordon last November.
“The time is right,” Madsen wrote in an Instagram post. “I’m full and looking back on a career in elite sports that I’m very proud of. Sports have shaped me as a person, and I’m grateful for everything it has given me and my family.
“MMA is a demanding sport, and the body has to last for many years to come. This has also been a factor in my decision to [retire], but I’m super proud and grateful for all that we’ve accomplished.
“A large part of your identity lies in the job. Especially as an elite athlete, where the structure of everyday life is often dictated by your job. But I am 39 years old, and there are still many things in life I want to achieve.”
Madsen bows out of the sport with an overall career record of 12-2.
