UFC veteran Mark O. Madsen announces his retirement from MMA
Mark O. Madsen is calling it a career.
The 39-year-old UFC veteran, who also won a silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2016 Olympics, announced his retirement on Wednesday following a decade long career in MMA. Madsen announced the news on Facebook with his manager Ali Abdelaziz also confirming the news to MMA Fighting.
“The time is right,” Madsen said in the post. “I’m full and looking back on a career in elite sports that I’m very proud of. Sports have shaped me as a person, and I’m grateful for everything it has given me and my family.
“MMA is a demanding sport, and the body has to last for many years to come. This has also been a factor in my decision to [retire], but I’m super proud and grateful for all that we’ve accomplished. ”
Fighting out of Denmark, Madsen made a name for himself as one of the top wrestlers in the world after claiming five medals at the World Championships of wrestling between 2005 and 2015. At the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Madsen captured the silver medal following an impressive run through the tournament before falling to Russian Roman Viasov in the finals.
Madsen had actually already started competing in MMA prior to winning his silver medal but he put his full attention on the sport after the Olympics were finished.
He put together an impressive 8-0 record before signing with the UFC in 2019 when he made his debut with the promotion. Madsen rattled off four straight wins in the UFC including victories over Clay Guida and Vinc Pichel.
Most recently, Madsen suffered back-to-back losses to Jared Gordon and Grant Dawson with his last fight taking place this past November at UFC 295. Overall, Madsen retires with a 12-2 record in MMA with a 4-2 resume in the UFC.