Darren Elkins is preparing for the final fight of his remarkable UFC career.
After more than 16 years in professional MMA and 30 appearances inside the Octagon, Darren Elkins will make his final walk to the cage when he faces Yadier del Valle at UFC Vegas 120. The longtime featherweight veteran confirmed that Saturday’s fight will officially be his retirement bout.
Known for his relentless style, incredible toughness, and ability to battle through adversity, Elkins has built a reputation as one of the toughest fighters to ever compete in the UFC. Throughout his career, he has earned 19 victories inside the Octagon and shared the cage with elite names such as Alexander Volkanovski and Charles Oliveira.
When the UFC announced his matchup with del Valle, Elkins revealed it would be his “last dance.” During fight week, he opened up about the decision and explained why now is the right time to step away from the sport.
“Mostly just I’m older in age now but also I’m starting to get hurt a little bit more often, you know. Getting to train all the time is taking more of a toll on my body than it used to so, it’s time,” Elkins said.
“I’ve been contemplating it for a while and I just talked to my family, worked it all out and I’m like, you know what, I’ve always wanted to lay my gloves down in the Octagon. Most people don’t get that chance, right? They either get cut or they have to say it on social media or something like that to retire. Me, I want to be in the moment. Be able to lay my gloves down and ride off into the sunset.”
At 42 years old, Darren Elkins admits the physical demands of training have become increasingly difficult. Still, he has no regrets about his decision and feels grateful for the longevity of his career.
“Man, it’s been fun,” Elkins said. “There’s been some downs, there’s been some ups, but dang, I never thought I’d be doing this for a living for this long. It was cool just to see the evolution of the game and be a part of the evolution, right?
“I started over 16 years ago and the reason why I’m still here is because I kept on evolving my game, so I can be proud about it. I’ve seen a lot of guys that stop evolving and that’s when they usually get kicked out of the UFC, they start losing. I knew how to entertain, put on entertaining fights and keep evolving.”
The veteran revealed that retirement had crossed his mind before, particularly after a loss to Hacran Dias in Brazil back in 2014. However, a change in training camps helped revive his career and sparked a six-fight winning streak that included victories over notable names such as Dennis Bermudez and Michael Johnson. That run only came to an end against future UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
While Elkins plans to step away from MMA competition, he isn’t ruling out staying active in sports that don’t involve taking strikes to the head. Wrestling remains a possibility, but fans shouldn’t expect to see him compete in bare-knuckle boxing.
“I’d probably die,” Elkins said with a laugh when asked about BKFC. “My MMA fights are bloody. Could you imagine me in that? No. I promised my wife I wouldn’t even look at that place.”
Elkins enters his retirement fight against a dangerous young opponent in Yadier del Valle. The Cuban prospect owns a 10-1 professional record and represents the next generation of UFC talent. In fact, del Valle was only 10 years old when Elkins made his professional MMA debut.
Still, the veteran wasn’t surprised by the UFC’s matchmaking decision.
“This is the UFC, there’s not going to be any favors, you know?” Elkins said of the matchup. “I expected it. I mean, I’ve always knew what the game was. I think that’s the thing why I never got surprised is I knew what the game was about. You got to go out there and do your job.
“If you’re not doing your job, you’re not doing it at a high level, they can get rid of you at any time.”
Elkins also expected the promotion to pair him with a younger, hungry contender looking to make a name for himself.
“I expected when I said it was going to be a retirement fight that I was probably going to get a younger guy,” Elkins said. “I’m one of the older guys in the division, so it’s going to be a younger guy and probably a pretty tough guy because they know when I’m in the Octagon, it’s going to be a crazy fight.”
Whether he leaves the cage with a victory or not, Darren Elkins has already cemented his legacy as one of the UFC’s toughest and most respected veterans.
