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Thiago Alves, a veteran of combat sports, has officially announced his retirement following his knockout loss to Mike Perry at BKFC KnuckleMania 4 in Los Angeles.
After the fight, Alves spoke at the post-fight press conference, stating,
“I’m going back to retirement. I pretty much was already retired, but didn’t make an announcement [or] anything because I wanted to do one more, and this was it.”
Alves, who has been fighting professionally since he was 15 years old, expressed gratitude for his career but acknowledged the challenges of competing at a high level, especially after the recent passing of his mother and taking the fight on short notice.
The 40-year-old Brazilian fighter leaves behind a legacy in MMA with a 23-15 record, including notable bouts in the UFC where he faced the likes of Georges St-Pierre at UFC 100. He transitioned to bare-knuckle boxing, winning the BKFC 185-pound title and securing victories over Julian Lane and Uly Diaz.
Reflecting on his journey, Alves expressed thankfulness for achieving his dreams and providing for his family.
“I think I was able to do that. I became a world champion in one of the most savage sports, badass sports out there [in] bare-knuckle boxing,” he remarked.
Alves' retirement marks the end of an era in combat sports, highlighting his resilience and determination throughout his career.