UFC Light Heavyweight Cody Donovan Announces Retirement

Cody Donovan has decided to hang up his gloves. | Photo: Ciarán Maher/Sherdog.com

The 205-pound Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt revealed his decision on Tuesday via his website.

“After almost 12 years of fighting... pursuing and living my dream, I am officially announcing my retirement from professional MMA,” Donovan wrote. “After much thought and discussion with my coaches and wife, we decided it is time to close this chapter of my life. I love fighting and competing but my body is no longer allowing me to do so. Injury after injury, surgery after surgery, I try to come back better, faster, stronger but there comes a time when your body says, ‘Alright, no more.’

“Endings are sad, beginnings are scary... but it’s the middle that counts. I embrace and welcome this chapter of my life and will work hard and strive for excellence in everything that I will do!”

Donovan, known to some fans as “Donnybrook,” dropped three straight fights after winning his UFC debut in 2012. The 33-year-old fighter defeated Nick Penner before losing to Ovince St. Preux, Gian Villante and, most recently, Nikita Krylov. All three of those losses came by way of technical knockout or knockout.