'Injuries, age and life have shown me that it’s time' - UFC welterweight Alan Jouban announces his MMA retirement

After a career in MMA that started over ten years ago, UFC welterweight Alan Jouban has announced that he is hanging up his gloves for good. Jouban has been serving as an MMA analyst for ESPN, and his announcement has seemingly suggested he'll be focusing on his broadcast career moving forward.

Now at the age of 38, Jouban retires with an impressive record of 17 wins and seven losses. Going by the nickname 'Brahma,' Jouban made his UFC debut in 2014, just three years after making his pro debut in 2011.

Alan Jouban's Retirement

Alan Jouban made the following post on his Instagram page, officially announcing that he will no longer compete as an MMA fighter. He stated that-

"I’d like to officially announce my retirement from MMA. Fighting and the UFC have given me everything I have today! I would not change a single thing from my journey because I got to live my dream and not know what was next. My coaches, my teammates, those of you that were apart of this, I appreciate you so much! Thank you to my supporters and even my opponents along the way. Injuries, age and life have shown me that it’s time. If I can’t compete to my fullest, then I won’t."

A Future in the Broacasting Booth

As of late, Alan Jouban has been a regular presence in the UFC broadcasting team, often alongside Laura Sanko, Michael Chiesa, Din Thomas, Tyron Woodley and many more. He now desires to transition full time to pursuing this side of MMA-

"So I’ll focus my time now on broadcasting where I can still share my passion and knowledge for the sport with with everyone at home. Thank you to everyone for all the love over the years. I look forward to becoming a staple in the sport from this end now aswell."

A Perennial Gatekeeper

Alan Jouban's career as a UFC fighter was forever on the cusp of contendership. 'Brahma' notched up victories over multiple respected names including Belal Muhammed, Ben Saunders and Mike Perry.

However, Jouban only turned professional around the age of 28, which meant he had a limited amount of time before age would significantly limit his chances of title contention.

Alan Jouban has also suffered numerous injuries over the course of his career, including a recent ACL tear in 2019. But since Jouban took on the broadcasting job he has naturally fallen into the role and has become a fan favorite thanks to his insightful analysis.