Brad Pickett will be retiring as a professional MMA fighter after his bout with Marlon Vera at UFC Fight Night 107.
When it is all said and done, the British competitor says it is the right time to hang up the gloves.
“I’ve a lot of mixed emotions in this fight,” Pickett said to MMA Junkie. “I’m up and down. I’m so excited to end my career here and move on to the next thing, but also I’m a little bit, ‘Oh, God,’ because I loved my career and I loved my job. So it was a very hard decision to make. But I didn’t make this overnight. I do think it’s the right time for me to walk away from the sport.”
Pickett will have fought a total of 39 bouts by the time he retires this weekend. One thing that Pickett hopes will continue after his retirement is the great relationship he has with his fans.
“I’ve always fought for the fans and I have a really good relationship with them,” he said. “I keep saying this: They’re not just fans to me, they’re friends. So it does mean a lot, and the support they’ve shown me throughout the years, and definitely in this last week, has been crazy. It’s been very humbling and, like I keep telling everyone, I’m not dying this Saturday. I’m still going to be alive. So hopefully my interaction with the fans will still continue.”
UFC Fight Night 107 takes place on Saturday, March 18 from The 02 in London, England with Jimi Manuwa and Corey Anderson headlining. Fightful will be providing live coverage of the event.
