Weeks after finally making it to the UFC, French-Canadian MMA star Steve Bosse is calling it quits before ever stepping foot inside the Octagon.
The former semi-pro hockey goon turned fighter told La Presse on Wednesday that he has decided to retire after a shoulder injury recently forced him to withdraw from his UFC debut on April 16 in Quebec City.
“My body is talking to me,” he said. “It’s time that I make the right decision.”
The 32-year-old Bosse made his MMA debut in 2007 after a reported 221 fights as an enforcer in the North American Hockey League. He walks away from the sport with a 10-1 record, picking up notable wins over Wes Sims, Marvin Eastman and Houston Alexander. Due to his hockey background, he became a big draw in Quebec fighting for local promotions, such as TKO and Ringside.
He is perhaps best known for being involved in a bizarre Strike Box fight against James Thompson five years ago in which a brawl broke out after Thompson allegedly broke a gentleman’s agreement between the two to not grapple in the fight.
Bosse, who told La Presse he will now pursue a career in firefighting, said he’s had four operations in ten years and broken his hand a dozen times. The Tristar Gym fighter signed with the UFC in February and was scheduled to meet Ryan Jimmo in his UFC debut at the TUF Nations Finale next month. He has since been replaced by newcomer Sean O’Connell.
“When I started in hockey, I had rage in me,” he said. “This sport helped me channel that. It was my therapy. Today, that rage is no longer in me. Today, I’m doing well. I don’t feel the need to fight anymore, to go make war.”