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Former UFC light heavyweight Fabio Maldonado might hang up his gloves by the end of the year.
This year might be the last time fans see light heavyweight brawler Fabio Maldonado compete in a ring or a cage.
After alternating the last years of his career in both professional boxing and mixed martial arts, the 39-year-old veteran recently revealed to Ag Fight that he is considering calling it quits by the end of 2020. But before that happens, the all-action brawler still wants to fight six more times.
In fact, asked where he might be fighting next, Maldonado revealed he could even close a deal with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, with whom the Brazilian has reportedly been negotiating lately.
“I think about [retirement] everyday,” Maldonado said. “I wanted to fight until the day I die, but that’s not possible, so we have to stop at some point. We are not made of iron and I think I’ll stop by the end of the year. I’ll hang up my gloves in the December. That’s what I think right now, I could change my mind by the middle of the year. I want to fight six more times this year and then stop.”
“There is plenty of things on the horizon,” he continued. “There’s Bare Knuckle FC, we’ve been negotiating numbers, opponents. There are MMA and boxing with gloves, too. That’s how I make a living. I don’t pick fights. I would prefer a big boxing challenge, but I have to take what appears. Good thing I’m not injured, I’m careful.”
In his last MMA fight, Fabio Maldonado (25-14) was knocked out by now UFC fighter Jiri Prochazka at Rizin 19, back in October 2019. His last win came in December 2018, when he scored a knockout victory over Thiago Batista on the Brazilian regional circuit.
In the boxing ring, Maldonado is riding a four-fight losing skid, with three unanimous decisions and one TKO defeat in his past few outings. His last win in the ring came in September 2018, in his native Brazil.