Darren Stewart’s MMA journey has come to an end.
The former UFC and Cage Warriors veteran announced his retirement from boxing in a post on his Instagram account on Tuesday. Stewart, 33, cited financial issues as the main reason for his retirement from the sport. While his days of professionally competing in mixed martial arts are likely over, Stewart (16-10) still has a path forward in boxing.
Below is Stewart’s announcement.
“Yes, everyone.
It pains me to write this but I think it’s time to end it. It’s not my choice but I have to because I lost so much in this game to survive and I can’t continue anymore. When I was fired from UFC, I should have invested in something but instead, I put it all on the line again to get back to the top and my life got even worse. I have a family and it’s not fair for them to have to stress to put food on the table. I love martial arts and I’m only 33 so I don’t want to retire but I don’t have any financial support. I’ve talked about it a few times so I won’t go into it any more. If I get the chance to start boxing I might start but what about MMA? … Yes, I’m done. I’m crying as I write this seriously but this is reality. I still teach one on one and seminars and do some Jiu Jitsu here and there because I feel I can pass on my knowledge. But other than that, I need to find a side job. Thank you so much to everyone who always supports me. I really appreciate it. I hope the next generation learns a lot from me and my career.
That’s all from me.
Dentist
Stewart made his professional debut in the summer of 2014 and competed most recently in March. His 10-year mixed martial arts career included 11 bouts under the Cage Warriors banner and 14 appearances at UFC, with a record of 5 wins, 7 losses and 2 no contests. He also won Performance of the Night awards for wins over Maki Pitolo and Eric Spicely, as well as three Fight of the Night awards for his win against Julian Marquez, along with a $50,000 fight night bonus.
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