UFC welterweight Matt Brown says he'll retire after fighting Diego Sanchez

When Matt Brown debuted on “The Ultimate Fighter 7,” he wasn’t an early favorite to win. His 7-6 record was downright dreary.

It didn’t take long, though, for Brown’s fellow cast mates to figure out that, what he lacked on paper, he more than made up for in toughness. Not many were eager to tussle with him in the gym.

Nine years after he emerged, a fan favorite despite his reality show loss, Brown (20-16 MMA, 13-10 UFC) is ready to hang up his gloves, announcing today that his upcoming fight against Diego Sanchez (27-10 MMA, 16-10 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 120 will be his last.

11/11 will be my retirement fight. Thanks for enjoying the ride with me this will be an amazing show me and Diego will put on a show for all of you

A post shared by Matthew Brown (@iamtheimmortal) on Sep 21, 2017 at 1:09pm PDT

“11/11 will be my retirement fight. Thanks for enjoying the ride with me this will be an amazing show me and Diego will put on a show for all of you.”

Brown, 36, hopes to go out with a bang after a three-fight skid capped by a vicious knockout loss to Donald Cerrone at UFC 206. The loss was particularly concerning given his admission he’d suffered “hundreds” of concussions over the course of his career, one of which left him isolated for 10 days without lights or loud noises.

If history is any indication, Brown could be in for one last battle as he takes on Sanchez, the longest-lasting veteran of “The Ultimate Fighter” as a member of the show’s inaugural cast. Known as a brawler, Sanchez has been in dozens of slugfests, often bleeding his way to victory.

No one will doubt the toughness of these fighters when they step in the cage Nov. 11 at Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va. UFC Fight Night 120 airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass, though the bout order hasn’t been finalized.

For more on UFC Fight Night 120, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.