Veteran UFC flyweight fighter Matt Schnell has officially retired from the sport of MMA. Schnell, a 15-year veteran of the sport, announced his retirement via social media.
The decision comes after Schnell suffered a devastating first-round knockout loss to Alessandro Costa in the first round of their prelim featured fight at UFC Fight Night 278:
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Schnell has lost six out of the last seven fights of his career. Despite a 7-9 record in the UFC, Schnell’s overall professional record is 17-11 with 1 “No Contest.”
“Everything in this world I have, I owe to fighting. And it didn’t come without a cost,” he wrote in his Instagram caption. “I’ve left more than a piece of myself within the walls of that octagon. And I would do it again. I believe it’s time to move on with the next step in my journey.”
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Schnell’s Second Retirement
This is not the first time “Danger” has retired. Schnell previously retired in September 2024 after a submission loss to Cody Durden:
Schnell took off his gloves and left them in the Octagon after the loss, though he admitted it was an emotional, temporary decision.
Back in November 2025, Schnell said in an interview with the UFC, “I figured I was gonna get cut, and I wanted to have the narrative be my narrative: ‘I didn’t get cut; I retired!’”
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This time, however, it seems Schnell will retire for good, capping off a career of highs and lows.
Career Highlights
Matt Schnell was first introduced to a national audience on season 24 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” in which Henry Cejudo and Joseph Benavidez coached teams of fighters to face off with one another:
Despite a losing UFC record, Schnell has delivered some of the most exciting fights in the UFC Octagon.
Schnell pulled off one of the most awe-inspiring comeback victories in UFC history in his fight against Sumadaerji in 2022.
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In the fight, Sumadaerji was battering Schnell with elbows and dropped him with a left hand. Schnell, however, gathered himself and took the Tibetan-Chinese fighter to the ground with a perfectly timed double-leg takedown, landing strikes from a mounted position before eventually securing a triangle choke that put him to sleep.
Schnell has also fought the cream of the crop of the flyweight division, including former champion Alexandre Pantoja and championship challengers Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
