\n<\/p>\n
As planned, Darren Elkins retired from mixed martial arts on Saturday night following his fight with Yadier del Valle on the undercard of UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Salkilld. Not planned: the way he went out via TKO just 35 seconds into the bout.<\/p>\n
It was a tough ending for \u201cThe Damage,\u201d but the way it goes for many fighters who stick around this long. Elkins leaves the sport at 42 years old and a 29-13 record (19-12 UFC) and the word that kept coming up following the loss was \u2018gratitude.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, it\u2019s not the ending I wanted, but that\u2019s life,\u201d Elkins said at the post-fight press conference. \u201cYou don\u2019t always get the ending you want. I had a chance to do it at least. Most people don\u2019t get that chance \u2026 So I wanted my happy ending, but shoot shoot, man. I\u2019ve had so many happy endings in my life. I\u2019m I\u2019m thankful. I\u2019m thankful that I have my health. I have my family. It\u2019s emotional, but, man, was it a fun ride.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elkins sounded prepared for post-fight life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m feeling a little bit of relief,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the next chapter of my life. This is a young man\u2019s game. I knew that. I stuck around for probably a little bit longer than I should\u2019ve, but I loved it so much. I was like, \u2018We\u2019ll do a little bit more.\u2019 So do I regret it? No. Should I probably [have] retired? Probably a little bit sooner. Maybe after [the] Daniel Pineda one would\u2019ve been kinda cool, but it I got greedy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pineda fight in October 2024 was Elkins\u2019 last win, and he\u2019s gone out on two TKO losses. You could criticize the UFC for giving \u201cThe Damage\u201d such a tough send-off, but it was all love on his side.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for giving me the opportunity to be here, to show who I am, to to keep stepping in the octagon, for believing in me,\u201d he said. \u201cThose guys, I\u2019ve always got along with everybody at the UFC. I\u2019m a guy, they know I\u2019m gonna show up. I\u2019m gonna clock in. I\u2019m gonna give everything I have. I\u2019m gonna make weight. I\u2019m gonna be on time. I\u2019m not gonna complain. I never complained.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey knew who I was, and I knew who they were. So we had a great relationship. I have not really anything to say bad about the UFC. I\u2019ve had some really good experiences with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s been quite the experience getting to watch \u201cThe Damage\u201d fight over the past 16 years. Win or lose, he always brought it. What more could you ask for?<\/p>\n