Nik
Lentz is calling it a career after 45 professional bouts.
The 36-year-old Minnesota native announced his retirement via
Instagram on Sunday, pointing to ongoing vision issues as the
reason behind his decision. Lentz, who dropped a split decision to
Movsar
Evloev at UFC 257 on Saturday, had to
undergo a risky corrective procedure after being poked in the
eye in a loss to Arnold
Allen last year.
“They say don’t make rash decisions after a loss, but this one is
not rash or even quick for that matter. The injury I suffered to my
eyes last year was a career ender,” Lentz wrote. “In total I lost
about 40% of my vision, but I wanted to see what one more
hard-fought battle was like with the new eyes. It was clear to me
last night that it’s impossible for me to compete at this level
anymore. I just can’t lock on to a moving target like I should, and
with 40% of my vision practically gone… it’s chaotic to the
least.
“My life as fighter in the best organization on the planet ends
here,” he continued. “I am not sad or upset by it, the day comes
for everyone. I stand with my head high, God as my redeemer and my
children and wife as my treasure. Fighting gave those treasures and
only ask for a little vision as payment. A trade I would make 100%
of the time.”
On Saturday, Lentz was battered on the feet consistently by Evloev
but managed to make things interesting in the eyes of the judges
thanks to a number of guillotine choke attempts. Lentz ends his
tenure on a three-bout losing streak in the world’s largest mixed
martial arts promotion.
“The Carny” went 30-12-2 over the course of a professional career
that began in 2005. He went 14-9-1 in UFC competition posting
notable wins over the likes of Tyson
Griffin, Diego
Nunes, Manny
Gamburyan, Danny
Castillo, Will Brooks
and Gray
Maynard, to name a few.
“Thank you to my fans, my coaches, my family and everyone who has
been a part of this process,” Lentz wrote. “Who knows what comes
next for ‘The Carny’…. but I can tell you what it’s not.”