‘Goodbye UFC’ … Veteran fighter retires after over a decade in the promotion

MMA is often considered a young man’s sport. When the damage accumulates, and the reflexes fade, it’s usually a sign to hang up the gloves.

Decade-long UFC careers are a rarity, typically reserved for all-time-greats like Jon Jones, Max Holloway, or Jose Aldo. But what about the unsung fighters who never break big? The ones who trade wins and losses, flying under the radar while grinding out careers in the toughest promotion in the world?

On January 7, we saw the retirement of perennial bantamweight contender Kyung-ho Kang after 12 years inside the UFC.

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesMMA veteran Kyung-ho Kang announces retirement with heartfelt postIn an Instagram Reel on January 8, Kang announced that he had ended his contract with the UFC.

“It’s been a long time since I first signed with the UFC in 2021 and it ends in 2025,” He wrote. “But when I look back, it’s gone like a moment.

“… When you enter a cage that matches your fear, when you hear the cheers of the audience, your fear turns into excitement… You feel frustrated when you lose [the feeling] can’t be replaced by anything. … I did my best, so I have no regrets. Thank you very much to the fans who have laughed and cried with me.”

A look back on Kyung-ho Kang’s UFC careerKang made his UFC debut in 2013, following a string of back-to-back-to-back submission victories that earned him the Road FC bantamweight title. He faced Alex “Bruce Leeroy” Caceres, who was 8-5 at the time, in his first UFC bout. Caceres would go on to become a mainstay in the UFC.

Caceres won a tight split decision, which was overturned to a no-contest after testing positive for marijuana. Kang then lost another decision to the underrated Chico Camus at UFC 164.

Not discouraged by the loss, Kang picked up a two-fight winning streak over veteran Shunichi Shimizu and the undefeated Michinori Tanaka before taking a two-year hiatus to serve his mandatory South Korean military service. Upon returning in 2017, he defeated fierce striker Guido Cannetti.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesThroughout his career, Kang dropped losses in high-profile bouts against Ricardo Ramos, Rani Yahya, John Castaneda, and Muin Gafurov. ‘Mr. Perfect’ retired on the back of his first-ever UFC losing streak, with an MMA record of 19-11(1NC) and a UFC record of 8-5(1NC).