Former UFC and PRIDE fighter Gilbert Yvel announces retirement

G. Yvel (photo) won his last two fights as a professional. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

After 16 years, Dutchman Gilbert Yvel's career in MMA came to an end. The 37-year-old athlete, who had a career in the two biggest divisions of MMA, announced his retirement to the German website GNP-TV.

Yvel has a vast record – with 38 wins, 16 losses, one draw and one unsuccessful fight. Among his most important victories are the triumphs over Brazilian Pedro Rizzo, Frenchman Cheick Kongo and compatriot Valentijn Overeem – brother of alistair overeem.

However, there were three fights against Brazilian champions that made the “Hurricane” better known among the country's public: the defeat in 200 against Vitor belfort in PRIDE 9; the unsuccessful confrontation against Wanderlei Silva at the end of the same year after suffering a kick to the groin just a few seconds into the fight; and the relentless knockout of Junior dos Santos in 2010, in a spectacular sequence of punches from Cigano.

Even with an irregular record, Gilbert Yvel ends his career with two victories in his last fights. Acting for Resurrection Fighting Alliance, RFA, Yvel beat Damian Dantibo in December 2011 and fellow Ultimate Houston veteran Alexander in March last year.