Amid lawsuit against UFC, Cung Le retires at age 42

C. Le (photo) had four fights, with two wins and two losses, in the UFC. Photo: Mitch Viquez/UFC

In recent months, Cung le became a central character in a multimillion-dollar class action lawsuit filed by UFC athletes and former athletes against the organization. Amid the process and after a major controversy involving an anti-doping test in his last fight, Le, 42 years old, decided to announce his retirement from MMA and combat sports this Tuesday (20).

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The statement was made in an official statement sent to the North American website “MMA Junkie”. “After a few months of thinking and discussing with my wife and family, we came to the conclusion that our future includes many things, but that actively competing in mixed martial arts is not on that list. Therefore, I am officially announcing my retirement from active competition. Fighting is something that will never be far from my heart and martial arts will always be part of my daily routine. I've truly enjoyed the blessed career I've had, thanks to my fans and the people who helped me on this journey. (…) I would like to thank the opportunity given by the UFC, to the sport of mixed martial arts and, most importantly, to the fans who love this sport. You will never be far from my heart. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to be able to entertain you,” the statement reads.

Shortly after the announcement, Lorenzo Fertitta, one of the owners of the UFC, commented on the end of Le's career in a statement published on the organization's official website. “Cung le He was a great ambassador for the sport for us in Asia and one of the most exciting middleweights to step into the Octagon. We wish him all the best in his retirement and future work,” said the CEO. In addition to Fertitta, president Dana White also spoke about the end of the Vietnamese player's career and recalled his fundamental participation during TUF China. “Cung le It was wonderful and I would accept any fight. He is one of those largely responsible for the success of “The Ultimate Fighter” in China. I loved working with him and wish him all the best in the future,” commented White.

With a vast career in kickboxing, Cung le He debuted in MMA as a veteran, in the first edition of Strikeforce. In the now-defunct event, the Vietnamese made a career and won the middleweight belt. In 2010, Le moved to the UFC, where he debuted with a loss to Wanderlei Silva. Afterwards, he beat Patrick Côté and Rich Franklin, but ended up defeated by Michael Bisping in his last fight as a professional, in August last year. In addition to martial arts, Cung le He also dedicates himself to cinema, participating in several action films.