Former UFC middleweight contender announces retirement from MMA

Former UFC middleweight contender David Branch announced his retirement from MMA in a lengthy Instagram post. The jiu-jitsu black belt under Renzo Gracie seemed to be in good spirits while announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts.

Here's what David Branch said in his retirement post:

"I always loved fighting and when I was a kid, [I] would always imagine fighting in big arenas. I have done a lot in this sport. Like many fighters in history I don’t think I get the credit I deserve, but my peers/ fighters who do and have done what did in the cage all respect me. My family is beyond proud of me as well as true friends. I wanted to continue to keep fighting because I love it I just enjoy it. But under no circumstances do I need to fight it’s just for the love of the sport and I’m good at what I do."

Branch spoke about not being recognized before saying that the one thing that remains undefeated in this sport is politics or "politricks." The post continued reading with the following:

"Unfortunately, I never got a chance to showcase my goodies, for that I apologize to my true fans and supporters. One thing in this game that is undefeated is politics/ “politricks”. I have been through everything a fighter can imagine going through in MMA, I have had the whole experience - ups and downs. I do not have anything more to prove anymore. I will take all the energy and effort that made me a multiple-time world champion and apply this to my life, my next chapter will be the best one."

David Branch retired with a professional record of 22-7.

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Former UFC middleweight contender David Branch had a stellar record, but a shaky promotional run

Having 22 wins and 7 defeats is no small feat in MMA. Most MMA fighters average around 30 fights in their professional careers. David Branch is probably one of the more underrated fighters to have graced the octagon. However, his run in the premier MMA promotional was shaky, with a 2-3 record, and was cut short due to a USADA violation.

Prior to joining the organization, David Branch was a dual-weight champion in the World Series of Fighting (WSOF), now known as Professional Fighters League (PFL). He made his promotional debut in 2017 at UFC 211 against Krzysztof Jotko, whom he beat via split decision.

His next outing, however, did not go his way as he was grounded and finished by Luke Rockhold in the second round at UFC Fight Night 116. He found success in his next bout with a first-round knockout win over Thiago Santos at UFC Fight Night 128.

However, his success in the organization was short-lived when he was finished by Jared Cannonier via second-round KO at UFC 230. In his last fight before being cut from the promotion, David Branch was submitted by Jack Hermansson at UFC on ESPN 2.