UFC veteran Jimmie Rivera is now a police officer.
A New Jersey native, Rivera (23-5) will now be looking to make a change in his home state as a part of the police force. After 27 weeks of law enforcement training, Elmwood Park Police announced Friday that Rivera graduated from the Passaic County Police Academy.
The next step for the UFC vet will be working alongside field training officers to further his training.
“This has been a very tough and challenging journey, working 6 days a week teaching, training, and going to the police academy,” Rivera wrote on Instagram. “Sunday, the only day of having family time. But the dust has settled and I am officially a police officer. Someone said you want to make a change, you have to be the change. Can’t wait to get out there and be that change!”
Rivera exited the UFC after 11 fights with the promotion, capping off a run that began in 2014. During that stretch, he picked up seven wins at bantamweight and fought in the main event of UFC Fight Night 131. He competed against many top tier fighters in the division, including current champion Aljamain Sterling, former champ Petr Yan, UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber, and former flyweight title challenger John Dodson, among others.
Since leaving the promotion, Rivera tested his hands in the bareknuckle ring last June, fighting to a majority draw. Earlier in his MMA career, he captured the CFFC bantamweight title, fought under the Bellator banner, and competed on Season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
