Couture to call it quits
UFC legend Randy Couture has announced that he will retire from active competition after his bout with Lyoto Machida at UFC 129.
Last Updated: 20/04/11 12:04pm
UFC legend Randy Couture has announced that he will retire from active competition after his bout with Lyoto Machida at UFC 129.
The 47-year-old, who made his mixed martial arts debut in 1997, will fight for the last time in front of 55,000 fans at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on April 30.
Couture is a three-time heavyweight champion in UFC and has also held the light-heavyweight title twice.
He has faced off against some of the biggest names in MMA history, including Chuck Liddell (three times), Vitor Belfort (three times), Tito Ortiz, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Brock Lesnar, Mark Coleman and Pedro Rizzo (twice).
"I want to go out on my terms and decide when enough is enough, and I think that time is come," the American grappler said.
"I've had a great camp, everything is spot on, I can't wait until next week. It's a fight I've been looking forward to for a long time, and it's finally going to happen. But it's time to focus on the other things I've got going on in my life after this fight."
Health
Couture feels that he is still able to compete at the very top level and has stated that his advancing years had nothing to do with his decision to quit the sport.
He added: "That was one of the things that I struggled with because I am as healthy as ever.
"I feel great and I absolutely have the ability to continue to compete at this level. But I don't want to wait until I have those issues to think about and weigh into training camp or a fight.
"I don't want to wait until I have that injury and have doctors telling me, 'Hey look, you can't fight anymore'."
'The Natural' retired once before - in 2006 - but came back to regain the heavyweight title and is currently on a run of three consecutive victories.
And he is determined to go out on a high by extending that run to four in defeating former light-heavyweight champion Machida.
