Martin Kampmann Taking Extended Break From Fighting, But Not Retiring
Following his technical knockout loss to Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night 27, longtime UFC welterweight contender Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann hasn’t been seen in the Octagon.
Fighting some of the best in one of the toughest divisions in all of mixed martial arts, Kampmann has gone through some serious ups and downs over the past two years. He had an unbelievable come-from-behind submission win over Thiago Alves at UFC on FX 2, then continued the hot streak with a big knockout victory over Jake Ellenberger at the TUF 15 Finale.
However, things took a turn for the worse when the surging Kampmann met up with the bulldozing Johny Hendricks at UFC 154. “The Hitman” was flattened with a massive left hand only 46 seconds into the bout. Kampmann returned nine months later and had a good first round against “The Natural Born Killer,” but ultimately ate a ton of strikes in the discouraging loss.
There’s not much doubt that he can beat most fighters outside of the true 170-pound elite, but regardless Kampmann is getting burnt out on the sport. He told MMA Junkie Radio that he is going to take a page out of former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre’s book and take some time off from MMA:
“I’ve had a lot of tough fights, and even the ones I win, I sometimes make them tough for myself. I’m just taking a long break. No rush to get back in the cage. Let my body recover and get good. I’m just going to kick back, and whenever I feel like coming back, I’ll come back.”
“I enjoy fighting, but I’ve just had my 10-year anniversary as a professional fighter. I feel a little burned out right now. That’s why I’m taking a break. I don’t want to get in there unless I feel like it. I love training, I love fighting, but I want to have the fire again to go in. If I don’t have the fire, then I think that means I need to take a break.”
The announcement comes as kind of a shock, but Kampmann continued on to cite a specific injury as the cause for his extended absence:
“I’ve had my share of concussions, and sometimes I didn’t take the correct amount of time, and that catches up to you. I feel OK. I’ve been better, but I feel I want to take a break. That’s why I’m taking a break.”
“I’m not retiring yet. I’m trying to pursue other things right now too. I’m not training so much. I’ve been in the gym coaching some guys, probably going to corner some guys coming up, and also I’m starting an affiliation program to certify trainers and gyms under me, so I’m helping the MMA program.”
Kampmann leaves behind a talented, ever-evolving division. Should he choose to return, he’ll need to be on his best game because the 170-pound landscape will only get better with time. But if Kampmann isn’t feeling his best, there’s certainly no reason to get into the cage with the monsters he is used to fighting.
It’s been an entertaining run for Kampmann, who put on some great wins and wars on inside the Octagon despite never fighting for the title. Whether he chooses to return or not, we wish him the best in whatever he decides. He put in simply by saying he won’t go back and forth when it is time to leave the sport behind:
“Once I retire, I’m going to retire. You stick to it once you make the decision.”
The UFC lost yet another fierce competitor today, at least for the time being. Have we seen the last of “The Hitman?”
Photo: Pat Lovell for USA TODAY Sports
