Mike Pyle and Zak Ottow are set to fight in a welterweight division attraction at UFC 222, which is set to be the featured fight on UFC Fight Pass.
After a near two decade professional MMA career, a content Pyle is calling a career after his fight on Saturday Night.
“I’m looking forward to fight this weekend and that will be my very last fight ever,” Pyle said on The MMA Hour. “I’m gonna retire. It’s been a long road and that’s it. I want to hang the gloves up and move on. I’m excited to make that move, I’m ready to retire. I’m 43 this year, it’s time. It’s not difficult at all, to be honest with you. It’s more like a relief. It’s time to move on.”
Pyle has fought a plethora of top level MMA fighters during his career, including Rampage Jackson, Jon Fitch, Shonie Carter, Rory Markham, Matt Horwich, Jake Shields, Brock Larson, Jake Ellenberger, John Hathaway, Ricardo Almeida, Rory MacDonald, Rick Story, Matt Brown and Colby Covington.
The soon to be retiring fighter admits that it was his fault that big money didn’t materialize during the near two decade career.
“I did not climb the ladder,” Pyle said. “I did not make those accomplishments. I did not build that contract higher and higher and higher. The money was there for me to make. I didn’t build myself and I didn’t make that money. So, it’s time.”
UFC 222 takes place on Saturday, March 3 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Cyborg and Yana Kunitskaya headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
