Twelve-fight UFC veteran Vinc Pichel announced his retirement nearly one month after his last fight.
The 41-year-old ends his career after losing his last three bouts, his most recent being a loss to Rafa Garcia at UFC Mexico City.
“There is so much to say,” Pichel wrote on Instagram. “The short version: At 42 years old, I’m officially retiring from competing in MMA.
“The longer version: I’m sad, I’m excited, I’m happy, I’m afraid. I’m grateful to everyone who was with me or part of my MMA career, and there are too many to list. … It’s meant the world to me! As for everyone else who was part of my career, it’s because of you, too, that this kid from California was able to do what he’s done. Thank you, and thank you to everyone who made me as proud as I am to be me today!
“I will still be using this and my other accounts to post. I’m also planning on using it to write a book to you guys about my MMA journey with pics and videos no one’s ever seen!
“So I guess this is it. As I walk away, I’ll leave you with this: Do what feels right, don’t apologize for being you, learn what you can from who you can, no regrets, and most importantly, have fun!”
Vinc Pichel debuted in the UFC following a stint on The Ultimate Fighter. He made his Octagon debut against Rustam Khabilov in 2012. He lost that fight by decision. However, he went on to win seven of his next eight fights, including a decision victory over UFC legend Jim Miller. Unfortunately, the final chapter of his UFC run left a lot to be desired. He suffered losses to Mark Madsen, Ismael Bonfim, and most recently, Rafa Garcia — all by decision.
