After six years in the MMA industry, “Ultimate Fighter 19” and UFC welterweight veteran Cathal Pendred has finally announced that it’s time for him to hang his gloves.
Pendred posted his feelings on his Twitter account, saying that he had a change of heart in the sport and this was the reason why he decided to finally take a step back and retire from the life of an active fighter while still remaining in the sport.
“I have other interests that I want to pursue. The time is right to close one door and open another,” he said.
Just a few days ago, Cathal was chosen as one of the latest franchisees of Chopped, an Irish salad bar.
In a recent interview, he said that the health food industry is quite promising.
“People are more knowledgeable about health and nutrition than they ever have been. I do think the health food industry is growing, and that’s where the future is,” Pendred said.
As of the moment, Pendred’s reps were not yet available for any comments.
Cathal Pendred, now at 28 years old, decided to retire with an overall MMA record of 17-4-1 while going 4-2 in the UFC. Back in Ireland, Pendred was actually a crowd favorite. Unfortunately, he will be leaving the sport with an uneven legacy. Fans often tag Pendred as a fighter with a clinch-heavy style. Even though he had quite a controversial style, Pendred was able to win a couple of controversial decisions in his career.
The UFC veteran had a couple of appearances recently, but unfortunately, those didn’t end well. He went against John Howard last UFC 189 but he lost to a split-decision. This month, he faced rising prospect Tom Breese during the UFC Fight Night 76, but the MMA veteran was knocked out during the first round.
During his career, Pendred had the chance to be a member of the famous SBG Ireland team, the same team that works with the UFC’s current interim featherweight champion, Conor McGregor. Pendred was able to mark his spot on the map when he became known in Cage Warriors, a U.K.-based company, before getting a spot on “The Ultimate Fighter 19”. He was able to last until quarterfinal night, before getting eliminated by Eddie Gordon, who later on became the winner.
Here is Pendred’s complete statement he posted on his Twitter:
“I am a passionate person and I always give 100% to what I do. I have been passionate about MMA for a long time and my focus on the sport has been my driving force for the last 9 years.
I now find that my passion is no longer what it was and I feel that it is time for me to move on. I have other interests that I want to pursue. The time is right to close one door and open another. My love of MMA remains with me. I intend to maintain my involvement with the sport, but I no longer wish to compete.
I have developed as a person because of mixed martial arts, as I learned to cope with the discipline and demands of the sport. MMA has made me a stronger person. This strength will carry through into other areas of my life as I move on to pursue new goals.”