Chad Mendes’s short career in bareknuckle boxing has come to an end.
The former UFC title challenger announced his retirement from the bareknuckle boxing world Saturday following his split decision loss to Eddie Alavarez in the co-main event of BKFC 41 in Broomfield, Colo. This venture down the bareknuckle boxing road was the latest chapter of Mendes’ fighting career. He retired from MMA in late 2018.
But now it looks like Mendes is done altogether with combat sports.
“I’ve been going back and forth with this,” Mendes told reporters at the BKFC 41 post-fight news conference when asked about his decision to retire. “Obviously I retired from the UFC back in 2018, and I was honestly done. I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into a few businesses and just spending the family quality time that I love doing.
“I had no desire (to fight), but something like this came up, and obviously the pay is really good, and it’s something that’s new, which kind of excited me, so I did it. I was done after that first one, but then they dangled somebody like this dude (Alvarez) in front of me, so I was like, ‘All right, I’ll do one more. This could be the retirement fight.'”
Mendes debuted in bareknuckle boxing in February 2022 with a TKO of Joshuah Alvarez at BKFC: KnuckleMania 2. The fight against Eddie Alvarez was Mendes’ second and now final bareknuckle boxing bout.
The 37-year-old still loves fighting, but has bigger priorities outside the ring.
“I just don’t need to be doing this sh*t anymore,” Mendes said. “It’s fun, but I feel like at this point I’m just being selfish. I’ve got a solid family that loves me, and I’ve got other things in the works that I pour my heart and soul into to be successful at. But man, that was one hell of a fight.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.
