Julian Erosa says UFC Vegas 123 will be his last fight: "I don't want fighting to retire me"

The featherweight, who faces JeongYeong Lee on Saturday 31 October, said it will be his 19th UFC fight and that he would rather give his health to his family than to fighting.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Wed 28 Oct, 22:14 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Julian Erosa speaking to MMA Fighting at his gym — Photo: MMA Fighting

Julian Erosa says his featherweight fight with JeongYeong Lee at UFC Vegas 123 on Halloween night will be the last of his career.

Speaking to MMA Fighting at his gym, Erosa said: "I want to retire from fighting. I don't want fighting to retire me." He said he had seen fighters go out on "7-fight losing streaks" and "tarnish their records", and take things away from themselves physically and mentally.

Erosa said he has other things to move on to and does not need fighting to carry him financially. "I don't want to give my health away to anything," he said. "I'd rather give my health away to my kid, my wife, and my family instead of fighting."

He said the bout will be his 19th UFC fight, and that he is trying to treat it like every other camp. "I don't want people thinking that I'm not working hard," he said. What he will miss most, he said, is being in the gym day in and day out with his team and coaches.

Erosa named the Sean Woodson fight as his favourite moment in the UFC: "3 days notice, choked him out with the D'Arce, got my job back."

Erosa and Lee are on the prelims of the card headlined by Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, which starts at 21:00 UK and Irish time on Saturday 31 October.

In this story

Julian Erosa JeongYeong Lee Renato Moicano Tom Nolan