UFC welterweight M. Brown retiring from MMA

UFC welterweight Matt Brown is retiring from mixed martial arts after nearly 19 years in the sport and 30 Octagon appearances.

Brown, who turned 43 in January, announced his departure from the sport on X.

“Not doing it again. I’m out,” said Brown. “That’s the announcement. My life will now be dedicated to serving others. Growing others in the martial arts and building businesses that can help the community and the world.”

Brown (24-19 MMA, 17-13 UFC) thanked UFC and Dana White and expressed his interest in “bigger, better things” moving forward.

“The Immortal” hadn’t fought since May 2023, when he knocked out Court McGee in the first round. Brown’s 13 knockouts in UFC are second all-time in the promotion’s history, one behind heavyweight Derrick Lewis’ 14 for the company lead.

There had been speculation that Brown was going to face Jim Miller at UFC 300 in a battle between two of the longest-tenured fighters in the promotion, but the fight never came to fruition.

Brown was known for his all-action approach to fighting, with his nine post-fight bonuses good for second in UFC welterweight history. A fan favorite, Brown never challenged for UFC gold. The closest he came was when he dropped a decision to Robbie Lawler in a welterweight title eliminator in 2014.