‘I shouldn’t have been in more of those fights’ – Felcia Spencer, former UFC title challenger, announces her retirement from MMA

Felicia Spencer touched down on the Octagon for the first time as a highly-rated prospect in 2019. Undefeated 6-0, she moved up to the top of Invicta’s featherweight rankings, claiming the crown held by Cris Cyborg and Megan Anderson holds before her. Working out a heavy offensive style and a powerful, pressure-packed grappling match, Spencer seems poised for a long career inside the biggest MMA tournament in the world — as long as the UFC is real. prepared to build the featherweight division with her.

Two and a half years later, Spencer has gone through ups and downs in the cage, beating Anderson, while suffering crushing defeats against Cyborg and Amanda Nunes. But promotion interest in women’s featherweights appears to have hit an all-time low.

Whether that was included in Spencer’s recent announcement remains unclear, but following her most recent win over Leah Letson at UFC Vegas 42, the 31-year-old Canadian tennis player from Orlando Florida decided to call. that’s career. Spencer announced his retirement on a recent interview with FightBananas.com.

“I have decided to stop pursuing this opportunity and have no intention of continuing to fight. I feel as good as I did in my last game and know I could have put on more great performances, but after 18 fights, including a few “wars”, I know in my heart Because of my future mental health that I shouldn’t ‘no more of these wars. In the game fighting is not guaranteed, and I have shown myself that I will not give up in the cage, so I need to protect myself by not entering it. I’m thinking about myself and my family 25 years from now. Mental health is important in my family.”

Spencer will be leaving MMA with a 9-3 record as a pro, stretching back to her debut in 2015. That decision leaves the UFC with just four featherweight fighters at the moment, most of them. They – at one point or another – have spent their time fighting at 135 lbs. If there’s ever been a time for promotions to drag on splits, this could be it.