It has been a busy week when it comes to mixed martial arts retirements.
First it was Rashad Evans, then Johny Hendricks hung up the gloves, and now former UFC welterweight star Josh Koscheck is stepping away from the sport for good.
Koscheck announced his retirement on The Luke Thomas Show on SiriusXM Thursday afternoon.
After a collegiate wrestling career that saw him win a Division 1 championship out of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Koscheck transitioned to MMA where he made his professional debut in 2004. Koscheck got his big break by being a cast member on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005. Although he didn’t win the show, the Waynesburg, Penn., native had an impressive showing and gained a strong following.
He eventually became of one the top MMA villains of the era and developed a rivalry with former champion Georges St-Pierre. Koscheck and St-Pierre met twice, once in 2007 and again for the title in 2010, with St-Pierre earning unanimous decision victories both times.
The 40-year-old had competed just once in the past three years. Following a five-fight losing streak in the UFC that lasted from 2012 to 2015, Koscheck took a two-year break from MMA before suffering a technical knockout loss to Mauricio Alonso in Bellator in February 2017.
“It’s almost like you kind of just lose it, and it pains me to say that,” Koscheck told Thomas when speaking about the twilight of his career. “It really, truly pains me as a fighter because I have a big ego. Everybody that steps inside that cage has a big ego, but I truly didn’t have it [late in my career]. I couldn’t go out there and compete with these young guys. I felt great in the gym. I was in great shape. I don’t think I was ever in better shape than I was at 38, 39, and 40, but I just didn’t have it.”
Koscheck finished his career with a record of 17-11, including notable wins over Matt Hughes, Diego Sanchez and Anthony Johnson.
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