Michael Chiesa’s retirement moment could not have gone much better at UFC Fight Night 271.
Chiesa (22-7 MMA, 15-7 UFC) put his gloves down in the center of the octagon Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle after scoring a first-round submission of Niko Price (16-11 MMA, 8-11 UFC) in their welterweight featured bout, which took place in his home state of Washington.
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It was announced by Chiesa well ahead of time that he would be retiring from MMA competition regardless of the result, but it played out perfect. He threw one strikes, landed one takedown, attempted one submission and got Price to tap in just over one minute courtesy of a rear-naked choke.
“This week has been incredible,” Chiesa told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 271 post-fight news conference. “It’s been surreal and it just cements my retirement. It doesn’t get better than this. Just this entire week. Then everything that happened in the fight and the way it happened.”
Chiesa said part of his success at UFC Fight Night 271 was maintaining his focus. He said his uncle and his sports psychologist both urged him to not make too much of the moment and get caught up in the final walkout, the final step into the cage and everything in between.
Part of Chiesa wishes he could’ve been more present, but given how it played out, he can’t complain.
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“Do I wish I stopped and soaked it up a little bit? Maybe,” Chiesa said. “But I had a fight to deal with but it was best I just stay locked in and approached it like every other fight.”
Although he is done with MMA competition, Chiesa, 38, said he’s not prepared to be done with combat sports entirely. Grappling competitions will be part of his future, whether it’s with CFFC, UFC BJJ or RAF.
As far as being a UFC fighter, though, Chiesa is ready to be done with that part of his life and put more attention on his flourishing broadcasting career. He accomplished a lot in his UFC career, and he refuses to taint the dream end he just had by taking another fight.
“This is the end,” Chiesa said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Michael Chiesa content with UFC Seattle retirement: ‘This is the end’
