Dennis Bermudez went out on a high note.
The 32-year-old announced his retirement on Saturday night following a unanimous decision victory against Te Edwards in a lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night 143 in Brooklyn, N.Y. “The Menace” halted a four-bout losing streak that dated back to February 2017.
““This is my last fight,” Bermudez said in a post-fight interview. “It’s been awesome. I’ve been through some stuff and thought about hanging them up after the four losses. I want my kids to look back and see that even though I went through adversity, I came out on top. My uncle has cancer and isn’t doing so well. That’s what us Bermudez boys do—when we’re down and out, we come back and win.”
Bermudez made it to the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter 14,” where he was submitted by Diego Brandao at the “TUF 14” finale. From there, the New York native kicked off the most successful stretch of his career, authoring a seven-bout winning streak that included triumphs over Max Holloway and Clay Guida. He won just three of his last nine Octagon appearances, moving up to 155 pounds on Saturday after competing at featherweight for most of his tenure.
Bermudez finished with a 10-7 UFC record and a 17-9 professional mark overall. He earned four of his victories by KO/TKO, three by submission and 10 via decision.
“If I had lost, it was definitely going to be my last fight,” he said. “I doubt they’d sign me back after a five-fight losing streak. I pushed myself really hard and have been competing since I was in seventh grade. I have two little boys at home. The fight game’s tough and I want to be able to see my grandchildren grow up. I just want to take care of myself now. It feels nice to go out on my terms.”