MMA mans might want to tune into Bobby Green’s showdown with Edson Barboza this Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 57, because it may be the last time Green steps inside the Octagon.
Posting on his Facebook page (h/t to Bloody Elbow, r/mma), the surging lightweight contender hinted he might be walking away from the sport.
“This might be my last fight thinking about retirement #tired,” read the post.
It would be a shocking move considering Green is undefeated (4-0) inside the Octagon and is riding an eight-fight winning streak. The official UFC rankings have him ranked at No. 7. He’s also coming off the biggest win of his career, a split-decision win over perennial contender and MMA veteran Josh Thomson.
But for all of Green’s triumph inside the cage, there’s been plenty of tragedy outside it as well.
His younger brother was killed in what police believed to be a gang-related shooting earlier this year, per mmajunkie.com. Green’s older brother was also shot in a non-gang-related incident, according to Bloody Elbow.
The retirement talk may be a result from weight-cutting along with training, but considering what Green has been through outside the Octagon, one would assume competing would be a walk in the park for him.
If Green retires from MMA after the Barboza fight, it couldn’t come at a worse time, professionally speaking. Green is just now reaching the upper echelon of the UFC, a point where fighters can finally start making enough money to live comfortably both in the present and in the future.
The UFC is surely concerned about Green mentioning retirement only days away from being in the co-main event. MMA can be a dangerous sport to compete in if a fighter isn’t mentally in the game, and the results can be devastating—especially considering Barboza is touted as one of the best strikers in the division.
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