It’s officially the end of an era in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, as longtime Octagon competitor
Clay
Guida confirmed his departure from the Las Vegas-based
promotion in a lengthy Instagram post over the weekend.
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“This is not my retirement,” Guida wrote. “This is simply a thank
you for now and a passing of my UFC torch to the next generation of
warriors and wrestlers. We were built to last. I’ve said it before,
and I’ll say it again: The best is yet to come!”
It’s unclear if Guida was released or if his UFC contract wasn’t
renewed. Twitter account UFC Roster Tracker initially brought word of Guida’s
exit from the promotion.
Guida, 43, has 37 UFC appearances to his credit, a figure that
current ranks No. 4 all-time. He compiled an 18-19 mark since
beginning his Octagon tenure in 2006, earning victories over the
likes of Nate Diaz,
Rafael dos
Anjos, Takanori
Gomi, Anthony
Pettis, B.J. Penn and
Michael
Johnson, to name a few. His 2009 loss to Diego
Sanchez at “The Ultimate Fighter 9” finale was inducted into
the UFC Hall of Fame’s “Fight Wing.” Guida lost his last three
bouts, most recently falling to Chase
Hooper via first-round submission at UFC
310.
“There is nothing I enjoy more than stepping into the Octagon and
fighting for our fans,” Guida wrote. “I am truly grateful to Dana
White and his outstanding staff for giving a kid with average
skills but above-average work ethic the opportunity to fulfill his
dreams as a wrestler and mixed martial artist.”