Bellator, UFC veteran Paul Redmond announces retirement

A well-traveled veteran of the game has officially laid his gloves down for good.

Ireland’s Paul Redmond (15-8) announced his retirement on Monday, ending a 10-year pro career that saw him compete for several notable promotions including Bellator, the UFC, KSW, Cage Warriors and BAMMA. Though Redmond never reached championship status, the 35-year-old was a standout for Cage Warriors in the early 2010s.

“Thanks for the memories,” Redmond wrote on social media, accompanied by a caption, part of which can be read here:

I was just gonna fade off into the background and not mention it but a lot of people keep asking me, “When am I out again next?” and I always say “ah soon, etc. etc.” But the truth is you’re probably not going to see me do my thing in an MMA cage again.

I’ve thought long and hard about this, talked to the big lad [Coach Andy Ryan], my family, etc., and I think now is a good a time as ever to step away from MMA. Twenty-five pro fights, a full amateur career, but the injuries are starting to mount up every fight camp and I haven’t made the last two fights because of them.

Redmond parlayed his success on the English and Irish circuit into a UFC stint in 2015, where he went 0-2 with losses to Robert Whiteford and Mirsad Bektic. After parting ways with the UFC, Redmond won four of his next five fights and closed out his career with Bellator. In his final fight at Bellator 240 in February of last year, Redmond lost to Georgi Karakhanyan by second-round submission.

“I never made the biggest impact in MMA,” Redmond wrote. “But I think anyone who came to see me fight knew what they were getting and enjoyed it. To all my teammates, training partners, and friends I’ve met throughout the years, you’ve made the last 13 years unforgettable so thanks for the memories.”