(via Matt’s FaceBook page.)
Sad but foreseeable news today, as TUF 3 alum, UFC star, and inspirational figure Matt Hamill has called it quits on his MMA career for a second and hopefully final time.
The announcement comes after Hamill was forced out of his World Series of Fighting debut at WSOF 11 with a knee injury, and was made via his Facebook page:
First and foremost, I would like to thank my most loyal fans for standing by me throughout my 10 year career with MMA… All good things must come to an end and I am saddened that the time has come for me to hang up my gloves permanently due to a nagging injury that has never healed and has worsened with time. The memories have been good….
As you recall, Hamill initially retired following his second round TKO loss to a young up-and-comer named Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 133, citing the same nagging injuries that apparently still plague him to this day. Perhaps seeking a triumphant win to go out on, Hamill unretired a little over a year later, as MMA fighters are wont to do. Although “The Hammer” was able to score a unanimous decision victory over Roger Hollett in a largely forgettable contest at UFC 152, his subsequent decision loss to Thiago Silva at Fight Night 27 wrote home the notion that the game had sadly passed him by.
His recent woes aside, there’s no denying the impact Hamill had on the UFC, its fans, and the deaf community during his MMA career, which saw him score wins over Keith Jardine, Tito Ortiz, Mark Munoz, Jon Jones (technically), and Michael Bisping (not technically but c’mon). Having had the brief opportunity to train with Hamill prior to his fight with Rich Franklin at UFC 88, I can personally attest to the quality of his character and would like to wish him the best of luck wherever the road takes him.
Show Hamill some love one final time in the comments section.