M. Riddle regrets early retirement. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
American Matt Riddle announced this week that he hung up his gloves and left MMA at just 27. However, the former UFC and Bellator fighter blamed the last event for his early retirement.
After suffering a back injury, which took him out of the fight against Brazilian Sergio Júnior, on the 20th, Riddle complained about the support offered by the organization. “When Bellator brought my contract they said we were a family and that they take care of their fighters. But when I injured my rib two weeks before the fight, they turned their back on me. I asked if I could fight until the end of the year and the answer was negative”, lamented the athlete in an interview with the North American website MMA Junkie.
Despite the back injury, the fighter revealed that his goal was not to retire at this point. “Honestly, this wasn’t a tough decision I had to make. I have a wife and children and I have no choice, I have to pay my bills”, said the fighter who spared no criticism of MMA.
“You get hurt and can’t fight? Nobody cares. Even if you're in the top 10 or top 5 in the world, people talk shit about you. This sport is rubbish and people talk shit about you all the time. We don't get paid and when we lose a fight, people say you should retire. Why should I be part of this? I’m tired of this,” she signed off.
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