Darren Elkins receives UFC tribute after his incredible MMA career comes to a close

Darren Elkins has received widespread praise from the vast majority of the MMA community for his long and storied career in the sport. 

Known for his ability to absorb terrifying amounts of damage and still keep fighting, "The Damage" consistently competed in exciting fights that made him a fan-favorite. 

Elkins fought in his final mixed martial arts match -- which came in the form of a featherweight bout at the UFC Vegas 120 event at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, August 8. The 42-fight MMA veteran was subsequently paid tribute by the UFC. 

Darren Elkins's MMA retirement fight saw him face Yadier del Valle at UFC Vegas 120

Darren Elkins had made it known that he'll hang up his MMA gloves after his fight at UFC Vegas 120. The 42-year-old was matched up against Yadier del Valle, a rising star in the UFC featherweight division. 

The 30-year-old Valle was coming off the first defeat of his professional MMA career, having lost by way of unanimous decision to Jordan Leavitt earlier this year. Regardless, "The Cuban Problem" was still deemed to be a tough matchup for Elkins at this point in the latter's athletic career. 

Their clash at UFC Vegas 120 ended swiftly and in a devastating manner, as del Valle punched his way to a 35-second TKO victory against Elkins.

The American fighter subsequently partook in a post-fight Octagon interview with Daniel Cormier and expressed his gratitude to friends, family, the UFC, as well as everyone who's supported him.

Elsewhere, the devoted husband and father appeared to urge his children to never give up and embrace hard work. 

The UFC pays tribute to Darren Elkins after his long and exciting MMA career and UFC run

Darren Elkins made his professional MMA debut back in 2007, competing thrice in Chicago and scoring impressive TKO wins in as many fights. He racked up a 10-1 record before getting a call to the UFC, joining the world's premier mixed martial arts promotion in 2010. 

It was in the UFC that Elkins spent the remainder of his career, spanning 2010 to 2026, during which he faced some of the most prominent names in the sport across different generations. A member of the renowned Team Alpha Male gym, he initially fought at lightweight before moving down to the featherweight division. 

The Indiana-born fighter clashed against the likes of Duane Ludwig, who was his maiden UFC opponent, as well as the legendary Charles Oliveira. 

Elkins boasts victories over Ludwig, Diego Brandao, Mirsad Bektic, Dennis Bermudez, Michael Johnson, TJ Brown, Daniel Pineda, and more. He faced and came up short against some fellow greats like Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski, Cub Swanson, Chad Mendes, and others. 

The veteran combatant's professional MMA record stands at 29-13, having gone 19-12 in the UFC. Needless to say, the consensus is that such extraordinary longevity warrants admiration from fans, MMA promoters, and experts alike. 

On that note, the UFC, via its official X handle, has released a video package comprising a few highlights of Elkins's UFC run, including his comeback KO of Mirsad Bektic. 

Watch the UFC's tribute video for Darren Elkins below: 

Congrats on a hell of a career @DarrenElkinsMMA. pic.twitter.com/el3Tff8hgv

— UFC (@ufc) August 9, 2026