After 15 years of fighting in the UFC Welterweight division, Matt Brown has decided the time has finally come to step away from it all. On Saturday, Brown took to social media to announce his retirement from MMA.
When the UFC was acquired by new owners spearheaded by Frank and Lorenzo Ferttita in 2001, the organization hosted five events with 80 fights throughout the year. Fast-forward to the end of 2023, and the UFC had expanded to 43 events featuring 520 fights, including 21 title bouts from January to December.
This growth has led to an increase in the scale and breadth of events and the number of fighters signed to the roster. With Dana White's Contender Series regularly adding numerous fighters each year, alongside reality shows like The Ultimate Fighter, and the necessity to bolster rosters for the plethora of events happening almost every week, the number of contracted athletes has swelled to over 650 in recent months.
UFC welterweight Matt Brown, who joined the roster in 2006, reminisces about the days when receiving the call to join the most prestigious MMA promotion was a monumental achievement. However, he can't help but observe that today, many fighters seem to have a relatively more accessible path to gaining entry into the UFC.
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