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It’s been a pretty tough week for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), as the worlds leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion saw two former champions retire in the last three days, as ex-Light Heavyweight champion Rashad Evans announced his retirement from the fight game on Monday.
Soon thereafter, former Welterweight title holder Johny Hendricks announced he was stepping away from the fight game, as well, and would be going back to coaching after competing in the hurt business for over a decade.
Now, another longtime UFC veteran will joining Evans and Hendricks in retiring from the fight game, as Felipe Arantes revealed on Instagram that he would be hanging up his gloves after over 10 years in the fight game.
Translation via MMA Junkie:
“No sad story and no whining. I came here to do my job and I did. The result wasn’t as expected, but I feel like a winner for being here and for having gone through everything that I have. Things that people on the outside don’t see, but those who are by my side know. Winning goes way beyond getting your arm raised. Winning is built through the path you paved to get there. You win, you transform and you strengthen yourself in the walk, not in the outcome. Thank you to everyone who followed me along this journey. I’ve made a lot of friends and I built my life through martial arts. It made me the man that I am and it gave me everything I have. Even my family, I built through this. After all, it was through the UFC that I met my wife and, consequently, had my biggest treasure. In my career, I had two moments of serious injury. One was facial paralysis and the other one a motorcycle accident, with broken ligaments and bones. In both, I was advised about not fighting again. God honored me and I returned. In this fight, I had an injury in my (LCL) and femur, one week before coming to Singapore. Again, my doctors warned me about the possibility I wouldn’t be able to fight. But I didn’t want to give up and I fought. Do you understand that a fighter’s life isn’t easy? I’m not here making excuses, I’m here showing that I never gave up, regardless of what they told me. Isn’t that being a winner? Yes, I feel like a champion. I believe my career was solidified and accomplished because of my coach. He always picked me up, always showed me the right way and always gave me the confidence to get to where I got. I can assure you, without him I wouldn’t be here. Honestly? I consider myself 100 percent accomplished and I wouldn’t do anything differently. Now, my will to fight isn’t the same, so I decided to stop. I’ve always made it clear that I don’t depend on fighting financially, because, through it, I’ve built things that allow me to have a good life. I’m grateful for being able to hang up my gloves at 30 and for knowing that, one way or another, my name will be in UFC history. I could give you a thousand advices through my beautiful journey, but I’d be writing for days. I’m more of a champion than many who held that belt, I can guarantee that. New paths are being built in my life and I know that, like in the octagon, I will be a champion. I tried to represent my country the best way possible and I feel enormous peace in my heart and a feeling of mission accomplished. Once more, thank you all. You were awesome. God bless you.”
Joining UFC back in 2011, Arantes (30) competed 12 times inside the Octagon, racking up a 5-6-1 record. While he never reached a title fight, the Brazilian bomber always put it on the line once the cage door was closed behind him. Unfortunately for Arantas, he ended his career on a three-fight skid and most recently came up short against Song Yadong at last Saturday’s (June 23, 2018) UFC Fight Night 132 event in Singapore.
Let’s not forget, Michael Bisping also announced his retirement from MMA a few weeks ago, as well.
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