Veteran UFC fighter Matt Brown recently shared his perspective on fighters publicly declaring their upcoming bout will be their last. His comments follow the recent fight of Anthony Smith, who announced his plans to retire just before competing at UFC Kansas City.
Smith, a fighter with 50 professional bouts, had reportedly coordinated the timing and location of what he hoped would be his final fight with the UFC, aiming for a swansong near his training roots in Kansas City. However, the event did not unfold as planned, with Smith suffering a first-round TKO loss to Zhang Mingyang after sustaining a severe cut and follow-up punches.
This outcome wasn`t surprising to Matt Brown. On *The Fighter vs. The Writer* podcast, Brown articulated his belief that announcing a retirement fight is often ill-advised. He referenced a past statement by UFC President Dana White, suggesting that if a fighter is already contemplating retirement, they might as well cease competing immediately.
Brown elaborated on his viewpoint, explaining, “I’m not such a fan of guys planning their retirement fight.” He acknowledged that some fighters, like Robbie Lawler, have managed to perform well under such circumstances. However, he contends that when a fighter has “one foot out the door” mentally, they are likely facing an opponent who has “two feet in,” fully committed and driven. This fundamental difference in mindset, according to Brown, creates a significant disadvantage.
Drawing on his extensive 15-year career in the octagon, Brown highlighted the inherent risks involved in every fight. He stressed that a fighter`s life is genuinely on the line. Entering the cage with a divided focus or a pre-planned exit strategy increases this risk, particularly for fighters with family responsibilities.
Brown contrasted this with his own path to retirement. His last fight in the UFC was not announced as such; he earned a knockout victory over Court McGee. The decision to retire came a year later, when he received an offer for another fight but realized he no longer possessed the same passion and excitement that had fueled his long career. That loss of drive signaled to him that it was the appropriate time to step away.
While understanding the desire for a celebratory final performance, Brown has observed that announced retirement fights more often result in defeat than triumph. He described the clashing mentalities: the retiring fighter may be focused on legacy or giving a final effort, while their opponent is typically driven by ambition, seeking victory to advance their career, earn money, and demonstrate dominance.
This difference in motivation, Brown argues, means the retiring fighter is inevitably “a step behind.” The opponent`s intense focus on immediate goals like winning and moving up the ranks outweighs the retiring fighter`s focus on a final performance or legacy. Brown believes this mindset is detrimental and that fighters might be better served recognizing the end of their career is near and retiring without the added pressure and mental conflict of a publicly declared final fight. He wishes fighters would carefully consider all potential outcomes before staging such an event.
