28-year-old Irish welterweight Cathal Pendred has announced his retirement from active competition following consecutive losses in the UFC.
Pendred posted a statement to Twitter on Wednesday morning announcing his decision:
Onto the next chapter….. pic.twitter.com/ebKMx666qP
— Cathal Pendred (@Pendred) November 25, 2015
Pendred entered the UFC in 2014 following a run on The Ultimate Fighter 19. He had been heralded as a prospect out of Europe, but failed to impress during his time on the show. He scored a nice come from behind win over Mike King in his official debut, but his next several fights were marred by dull performances and questionable decisions in his favor. That run came to an end in July, as he was defeated by John Howard at UFC 189. He then suffered a KO loss to Tom Breese in front of his home country fans last month at UFC Fight Night 76.
Penick’s Analysis: Another fighter calling it quits in his 20s. It’s further sign of the UFC’s payscale not being enough for many to make a living. The sport is so brutal, and many careers short lived, that it becomes not worth it for the athletes a lot faster than other endeavors. Pendred wasn’t anything close to elite, but he put together a 4-2 record in the UFC before making this decision, and it’s very possible we see others in similar spots calling it quits early as well.
[Photo (c) Per Haljestam via USA Today Sports]
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