Evan Dunham’s next fight in the UFC will apparently be the last of his MMA career.
After 11 years in MMA, with nine of them spent under the UFC banner, Evan Dunham intends to hang up the gloves by the end of next month.
The veteran lightweight announced on his Instagram page that his UFC Sao Paulo matchup vs. Francisco Trinaldo will be the last of his MMA career, although he intends to continue competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions.
September 22 will be my last fight. I can retire from the sport that I love with my head held high. I know that I never held anything back while in the cage and September 22 will be no different. My goals and priorities have shifted throughout the years and I am ready to concentrate on building my gym, as well as any new opportunities that come my way. I have gone toe 2 toe with many of the worlds best competitors and I am truly grateful for this. My passion for Jiu Jitsu will continue to be a driving force in my gym and at select Jiu Jitsu competitions.
I want to thank my family, friends and fans for all of your support throughout the years.
Dunham (18-7-1) boasts a UFC record of 11-7-1, but the 36-year-old is coming off a TKO loss to Olivier Aubin-Mercier, which snapped his unbeaten streak at five. He has notable wins over the likes of Gleison Tibau, Tyson Griffin, Joe Lauzon, Ross Pearson, and Nik Lentz. His defeats normally came against top-flight competition, such as Edson Barboza, Donald Cerrone, Rafael dos Anjos, and his first career defeat was a close, oft-debated split decision vs. former champ Sean Sherk. He’s racked up four Fight of the Night bonuses over the years, as well as a Submission of the Night for his armbar finish of Efrain Escudero in 2010.
Evan won’t be the only one calling it a career following September 22nd. Former middleweight title challenger Thales Leites will bow out after he fights Hector Lombard, who is somehow still in the UFC despite five consecutive losses.
UFC Sao Paulo is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between Thiago Santos and Jimi Manuwa. The night’s main card airs live on FS1, with a later than usual start time of 10:30 PM ET/7:30 PM PT.
