Filed under: News
Former WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho says he is ready to close the book on his competitive MMA career.
In a recent interview with Brazil’s Tatame, Filho says he plans on retiring after his Nov. 26 fight at KSW 17 against Mamed Khalidov — if that fight even happens.
“I may fight in November because I already signed the contract, after that I will retire,” he tells Tatame. “I don’t want this anymore.”
In his prime, in 2006-2007, Filho was widely considered to be the No. 2 middleweight in the world, just under Anderson Silva. But since the two are friends, a fight between the two never went past what-if discussions by fans and media. At the time, Silva touted Filho as the best middleweight in the world.
After going 16-0 in the first seven years of his career, Filho suffered his first loss at WEC 36 against Chael Sonnen and never quite recovered. His battles with depression and substance abuse (in the Tatame interview, Filho said his only drug issue was with rohypnol, a prescription sedative) had impacted his work inside the cage.
Following the loss to Sonnen, Filho was not picked up by the UFC and has since compiled a 6-3-2 record. In his last fight, Filho fought Satoshi Ishii to a draw, a decision rendered by what appeared to be partisan judges in the Brazilian event. Filho himself after the fight said Ishii should have been awarded the win.
Past the Nov. 26 fight, the 33-year-old Filho is unsure of what he wants to do next. But it’s not MMA.
“I’m not thinking about that right now, but I don’t wanna know about fighting anymore,” Filho said. “I had good and horrible moments. I did what I could, it’s over. I was far from what I could have been, but I’m satisfied. It’s over.”