Image via Fightday.com
WEC and UFC veteran Javier Vazquez has decided to call it a career in mixed martial arts. This news comes via Sherdog.com.
“I don’t see a need nor a want to fight anymore. I feel like whether you like me or you hate me, people respect me. I do have fights left on my contract, but I just don’t want to do it. I didn’t want to be that guy that everyone is begging to retire.
Javier has been an excellent featherweight with years of experience under is belt. He is also one of the most dynamic fighters on the ground, holding eleven submissions on his record. Javier was known as a relentless fighter who was never out of a fight no matter how much damage he took and he was a third degree black belt in jiu jitsu.
Some of his most memorable fights were ones over Jens Pulver and Joe Stevenson. In both fights, Javier would put on a grappling display and threatened with multiple submissions. When it was all said and done with, Javier sported a record of 16-5.
It’s sad to see such a talented fighter calling it quits, especially after a win. However, the win was back in 2011, and the sport has changed dramatically in the featherweight division in which Javier competed in.
This may be the best decision for Javier at this point. So many times we have seen fighters, even athletes in the NFL or boxing, who try to stay around too long. When this happens, their skills diminish and they are actually in jeopardy of suffering injuries. We saw it with Chuck Liddell. The longer he stayed in the UFC, the less his chin was able to take damage. So for Javier Vazquez, this is a smart decision. Not only for himself, but for his family as well.
