Matt Brown Reconsidering His Future In MMA
UFC welterweight fighter Matt Brown rose up the ranks in the promotion, and now it seems that he is on a decline. In his most recent fight, which was against Donald Cerrone at UFC 206 in December, Brown lost by knockout. During a recent interview with ESPN, Brown noted that he couldn’t get amped up for the fight and that he had no pre-fight nerves even though he was fighting a fan favorite in the co-main event. At the start of the third round of the fight, Brown acknowledged a request from Cerrone to touch gloves and hug in the center of the cage. Moments later, Cerrone knocked Brown out with a head kick.
“I hate to sound like I’m making excuses, but these last few fights I’ve went in with no real hunger in my heart,” said Brown, on ESPN’s 5ive Rounds podcast. “Last fight, I remember being in the back warming up and I said to myself, ‘Man, I’d rather go back to the hotel and chill. I don’t even feel like being here.’ “And I guess that third round, that’s what happened. I relaxed even more. A lot of people are talking about, ‘He shouldn’t have shook hands or gave him that hug.’ I look back on it myself and say, ‘I never would have done that a few years ago. I never would have hugged a guy. If a guy came up to hug me, I’d punch him in the face for it.'”
Brown has now decided to take an extended break from fighting due to lack of fire as well as a few disappointing losses in his recent fights. Brown noted that at any time those plans could fly out the window but he is having an honest conversation with himself regarding the state of his career.
A lack of fire, coupled with the disappointing results of his recent fights, has convinced Brown to take an “extended break.” He admits that at any moment, under the right circumstances, that plan could fly out the window, but he’s having very honest, pointed conversations with himself regarding the state of his career.
“What it really comes down to in the end is I look at myself and wonder, ‘Have I peaked out?'” Brown said. “Have I gotten as far as I could possibly get? I’m not going to go into a fight just to fight and I’m not going to go in just for money. I’ve gotten up to No. 5 in the world and I’ve fought former titleholders. I’ve performed well against the best in the world. If I’ve peaked out, that means it’s time to stop.”
Brown doesn’t want to stop fighting but he doesn’t want to show up for a fight with lack of motivation again either as that is a dangerous combo for someone getting in a cage and having a fist fight.
“I don’t want to be that guy,” Brown said. “I think we’re so narrow-minded and tunnel-visioned for so long. So enveloped in this one world, one goal, one focus — how do you step away from that? How do you transition to something else when you don’t see anything else for years and years? Now, all of a sudden you look around, and there is this whole other world that I wouldn’t even say I necessary fit in. I fit in with this small group of savages, beating each other up for money. That’s where I feel like I belong. That’s where I want to stay. But if it’s risking my health, that’s another thing.”
