Uriah Hall has decided to hang up the gloves and ride off into the sunset.
The Season 17 “Ultimate Fighter” finalist posted on social media early Wednesday to announce his retirement from MMA. Hall (17-11 MMA, 10-9 UFC), 38, competed 19 times under the UFC banner and was a well-known star at 185 pounds.
“It is with great sadness that I will be stepping away from the greatest sport in the world. I’m going to miss the incredible UFC staff that has became like family and the mentors I have met along the way. The UFC has given me the Best opportunity to step completely outside my comfort zone. Throughout the years I’ve gone up against some of the best in the world at the highest level. Although I did not achieve the rank of world champion i’ve acquired some of my greatest achievements from mixed martial arts and that was facing my fears and being a champion in life. I want to thank the incredible fans, you guys made the sport what it is today. It is important to have the right people around you that care for you and encourage you to become a better version of yourself. I want to thank my team my coaches my friends and my family always standing by me. You all have been the driving force that encouraged me daily. Lastly, I want to specifically thank Dana White for giving me the opportunity to collide with modern day gladiators. Thank you for always supporting me thru the good and the bad…To the next generation you are the top 1% greatest athlete’s on the planet. Will be a pleasure to watch where you all take this sport from here. I will be watching! Goforth .”
Hall burst onto the UFC scene through “The Ultimate Fighter”” in 2013 and delivered some of the most memorable knockouts in the show’s history. Three finishes, including his spinning wheel kick knockout of Adam Cella, earned him a final spot against Kelvin Gastelum, but he lost the bout by split decision.
Although he never lived up to the championship potential his “Ultimate Fighter” coach Chael Sonnen predicted for him, Hall scored big notable wins throughout his career and had finishes of former UFC middleweight champions Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman and ex-Bellator champ Gegard Mousasi.
The Fortis MMA fighter exits the sport with two straight losses to Sean Strickland and, most recently, Andre Muniz at UFC 276 in July. Prior to the back-to-back losses, Hall had his best octagon run with four straight wins over Bevon Lewis, Antonio Carlos Junior, Silva and Weidman.
It’ll be exciting to see the next chapter for Hall and we all wish him luck in what he does do next.
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