Former UFC welterweight title challenger Josh Koscheck announces his official retirement from MMA on The Luke Thomas Show on Sirius XM.
.@JoshKoscheck confirms to @lthomasnews that he is officially retired #TLTS pic.twitter.com/g0BIdMI0VZ
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) June 28, 2018
Koscheck (17-11 MMA, 15-10 UFC) officially hangs his gloves for good on MMA career after 13 years and 28 bouts, including 25 for the UFC. Koscheck last fought in February 2017, where he lost the contest by TKO to Mauricio Alonso at Bellator 172.
Josh rose to fame in MMA after appearing on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), however in the semifinals he lost a split decision to eventual “TUF 1” champion Diego Sanchez.
Josh got the opportunity for a welterweight title shot against Georges St-Pierre back in December 2010 at UFC 124. However, Koscheck lost via unanimous decision. That loss marked Josh’s second loss to GSP, who took a unanimous decision in their non-title fight three years earlier at UFC 74.
Past few years hasn’t been too kind to Koscheck though who has gone 0-6 since 2012. Josh was honest in his assessment of why he’s hanging his gloves, as well his inability to compete at a high level showed he ‘didn’t have it anymore.’ (Via MMAFighting)
“You never know, I might come back some day,” Koscheck said. “The biggest thing about my mixed martial arts career, at the ending it didn’t go the way I wanted. It’s almost like you kind of just lose it, and it pains me to say that. It really, truly pains me as a fighter because I have a big ego – everybody that steps inside that cage has a big ego – but I truly didn’t have it. I couldn’t go out there and compete with these young guys. I felt great in the gym. I was in great shape. I don’t think I was ever in better shape than I was at 38, 39, and 40, but I just didn’t have it.”
Over the course of his MMA career, Josh holds notable wins over the likes of Diego Sanchez, Chris Lytle, Anthony Johnson, Paul Daley, and Matt Hughes.
