Masvidal retires from MMA after loss to Burns

Jorge Masvidal started his fighting career in Miami. On Saturday night, he decided it was time to end it in the same place.

Masvidal (35-17) retired from mixed martial arts Saturday, immediately following a unanimous-decision loss to 36-year-old Gilbert Burns (22-5) at UFC 287. Just last year, Masvidal, 38, had signed a lucrative extension to keep fighting in the UFC.

“I don’t feel the same like I used to,” Masvidal said, apologizing to the audience.

Masvidal’s career started in the streets of Miami, fighting alongside former UFC and Bellator fighter Kimbo Slice, and he went on to become one of the biggest fan favorites in the UFC.

Masvidal leaves with 12 wins in the promotion along with the record for the fastest all-time UFC finish, a five-second knockout of Ben Askren in June 2019.

Masvidal defeated former UFC lightweight champion Nate Diaz in 2019, a victory for which he earned the symbolic “BMF” belt at UFC 244.