Raphael Assuncao retires from MMA after 12 years with UFC
Longtime UFC staple Raphael Assuncao put his gloves in the center of the octagon and announced his retirement from the sport today after a loss at UFC Las Vegas.
The 40-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist was submitted by Davey Grant in the third-round of their bantamweight fight on March 11.
Assuncao’s career endswith a pro record of 27-10, including a 12-7 run inside the UFC octagon since making his promotional debut in March 2011 at UFC 128. Prior to that, Assuncao had a five-fight run in the WEC.
“Thank you God for giving me the strength up to this age,” Assuncao said after the fight. “Thank you to my family for giving me 100 percent support. Thanks to the UFC and you guys calling these shows. It’s such a tough career. I was able to do this for 19 years as a professional, but I think my time has come now. I put a lot of effort into this training camp away from my family, and I think that’s it for me.”
