Uriah Hall Retires From MMA
Uriah Hall announced earlier today on his Instagram that he has retired from the sport of MMA.
“It is with great sadness that I will be stepping away from the greatest sport in the world. I’m going to miss the incredible UFC staff that has become like family and the mentors I have met along the way . . .To the next generation, you are the top 1% greatest athletes on the planet. Will be a pleasure to watch where you all take this sport from here. I will be watching! Goforth" - Uriah Hall via Instagram
Uriah Hall has long been one of the top Middleweights of the world. He held his place in the UFC rankings for years and has defeated legends such as Anderson Silva, Gegard Mousasi, and Thiago Santos. He was one of the most fearsome strikers in his division, with power in all limbs.
Hall earned his start on The Ultimate Fighter 17: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen in 2013. On the show, he rose to stardom almost instantly due to a viral knockout. Hall hadn't yet finished the season and was already talked about as one of the best in the world. He would lose a split decision to teammate Kelvin Gastelum in the finale but earned a UFC contract nonetheless as his potential seemed infinite.
Why didn't this potential carry him to a UFC championship? Hall had a well-documented drawback during his career - his mindset. He showed remorse after each fight and seemed to hate hurting people, even in the fighting business. He sought advice from his head coach, Chael Sonnen, on TUF regarding this but was never able to get past the mental wall. Even until his final win against Anderson Silva, Hall threw just 9 strikes in a round due to his gunshy nature. After securing the 3rd round TKO, he broke into tears apologizing to the legend for what he'd done, seemingly regretful for winning.
Having faced 2 dominant losses and realizing he no longer belonged in the sport, Uriah Hall called an end to a career that fans will always remember as one of the most talent-rich and memorable journeys in mixed martial arts.
