Inaugural WEC bantamweight champion, Eddie Wineland has confirmed his retirement from professional mixed martial arts with immediate effect, following an opening round knockout defeat against Cody Stamann at UFC Austin last night at the Moody Center.
Wineland, 37, calls time on his professional career, boasting a 24-16-1 professional record, in the midst of a three-fight losing run.
A 19 year professional veteran, Wineland, who made his professional debut back in 2003, managed to clinch the inaugural bantamweight title under the now-defunct, WEC banner back in 2006, stopping Antonio Banuelos with an opening round high-kick.
Featuring on last night’s UFC Austin card, Wineland suffered a 59-second knockout loss against Stamann, confirming his retirement from professional mixed martial arts and active competition in a post on his official Instagram this Sunday afternoon.
“I didn’t get an opportunity to leave my gloves in the cage but as Jim Morrison once sang, ’This is the end’,” Eddie Wineland posted on his official Instagram. “The road I’ve travelled over the past almost 20 years has seen many highs and lows, it’s been a fun ride but this train has reached its final destination!”
“I am forever grateful and extremely thankful for the opportunities given by the UFC, Dana White and Sean Shelby, everything you uys and the company have done for and given to me I am forever grateful,” Eddie Wineland continued. “Thank you and thank you to the fans for who’ve always stood in my corner, officially retired. Thank you for the memories, time to turn the page, and on to the next chapter in life!”
In his most recent professional victory, Wineland stopped Gregory Popov at UFC 238 in June 2019.
Debuting in the UFC back in March 2011, Wineland once challenged for interim bantamweight gold against former champion, Renan Barao, suffering a second round spinning back kick knockout loss to the Brazilian.
Eddie Wineland notched six victories during his UFC stint
During his lengthy Octagon tenure, Wineland defeated Takeya Mizugaki, Frankie Saenz, Yves Jabouin, Brad Pickett, and Scott Jorgensen.
Wineland’s retirement from professional mixed martial arts comes off the back of a series of other high-profile retirements in the sport this month – with featherweight standout, Zabit Magomedsharipov hanging up his gloves, while former undisputed strawweight champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk also called time on her decorated career.