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Jamie Pickett recently competed at UFC Fight Night 238, losing a decision to Eryk Anders in what turned out to be the final professional MMA fight for Pickett.
A now retired Pickett says that the reason behind his retirement was to focus on his family going forward.
“I’m retiring. I knew it coming (into the fight),” Pickett said backstage after UFC Fight Night 238 (transcript via Matt Erickson & Ken Hathaway of MMA Junkie). “I was going to go out of here and leave it on the table and win. I have some issues I just don’t talk about. I’m not one of those people to make excuses about anything. If I lose a fight, I lost a fight. It doesn’t matter who it is about, what it is. … My losses are my losses, but I’ve had some problems for a while and I just don’t like to talk about them. I want to play with my children when I get older.”
Pickett retires with a record of 13-11-0, with notable wins coming over Laureano Staropoli, Joseph Holmes and Jhonoven Pati.
The former fighter is now focused on becoming a role model for his children and family.
“I’m not a person to make excuses and land on a crutch,” Pickett said. “I’ve never done that in my whole life. I’ve took the hard way around, everything I’ve ever done. I’m a hard worker, and I do what I have to do to make ends for my family. I’ve got a 6-year-old, and I’ve got kids that count on me, my little girls, and I want to be a positive role model in their lives.
“I want to show them, I want to help them, guide them through life, navigate through the world, and I can’t do it if I’m messed up from fighting. I’ve talked to two doctors about things. My body’s just not holding up. I love the sport. I’m very appreciative that UFC let me fight out my contract. If they came right now and told me they’d give me another two contracts, the answer would still be the same.”
