Why Christian Colombo may have jumped the gun with that retirement announcement

SAO PAULO – OK, maybe Christian Colombo isn’t ready to retire, after all.

Following Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 119 curtain-jerker, where he suffered a quick first-round submission loss to fellow heavyweight Marcelo Golm (5-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Colombo (8-3-1 MMA, 0-2-1 UFC) announced he was writing from the sport.

However, following the UFC Fight Pass-streamed bout, which preceded the FS1-televised main card at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, 37-year-old Colombo walked back that talk of quitting.

“I was really frustrated after the fight,” the 37-year-old Danish vet said backstage at the show. “This is the second time I went to Brazil and didn’t land a single punch, so I was really frustrated. And I’m not retiring right now. I’m at least going to go home and think about it”

Colombo kicked off his career in 2010 and fought throughout Europe, going 8-0-1 and winning a regional title to earn a UFC contract. But he’s winless since debuting in the octagon with submission losses to Golm and Luis Henrique, as well as fighting Jarjis Danho to a majority draw (a fight he strongly feels he won).

In his latest performance, Colombo barely had time to soak in the atmosphere before Golm pounced with punches, a takedown and the fight-ending rear-naked choke. It took a little more than two minutes.

“That guy was fast,” Colombo said. “He was a lot faster – I was supposed to come out and box him. He did exactly what I’m supposed to do.”

It was an especially frustrating outcome given the 15-hour flight to get there.

After so much success out of the octagon, his lack of a UFC victory is also disappointing. Colombo isn’t sure he’ll get another chance, but he’s holding out hope that UFC matchmakers give him at least one more opportunity.

“If I’m lucky and the UFC comes to Scandinavia in the new year, I might get a phone call,” he said. “Let’s cross fingers and hope they come to Copenhagen and let me fight on that one.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 119, check out the UFC Events section of the site.