Randy Couture considering retirement but would accept fight against Shogun or Machida
by Jason Benfari on December 15, 2010

Signalling what could be the end of an era, beloved UFC superstar Randy Couture sorta, kinda announced his retirement from the sport a few hours ago via facebook.

"Appreciate everyone commenting on my fights." Couture wrote. "I didn't get the memo that they were being shown :) I think I'm at the end of it! It's time to move on and focus on all the other amazing things going on in my life! It's time."

ESPN's Josh Gross communicated with Couture shortly after the post, with Couture hedging his retirement stance a bit.

According to Gross, Couture stated that he's turned down multiple fights and that he'd only be interested in hanging around for a fight against either light-heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, or former light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. 

Gross also points out that with Machida coming off of consecutive losses and a title shot with "Shogun" being a bit of a stretch at this point in Couture's career, Couture's retirement could be forthcoming unless the UFC decides to give Couture another title shot, or Couture agrees to face a personally less intriguing fighter.

If this really is the end, it's been one heck of a run.

Couture, 47, achieved unparalleled success in the sport later in life. He didn't start his MMA career until he was 32-years old, but quickly rose to the top of the sport winning the UFC heavyweight tournament at UFC 13 in just his second pro fight, and capturing the UFC heavyweight title two fights later at UFC 15.

He would go on to capture the UFC light-heavyweight title with big successive victories over Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz at UFC 43 and UFC 44 respectively. And he regained the heavyweight title at an astounding 44-years of age after coming out of a previous retirement to defeat then heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, a victory that cemented his legacy as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.

We'll have more on this story as it continues to develop. 

 |  (97) Comments 0311USMC: Can't say I blame him. 15 years of beating your body down along with the faces of others takes its toll. He is not one that will keep holding on to the past and doesn't want to be a gate keeper. D_V: Pfffffft. Machida would beat him easily and there's no saying just how bad Rua would hurt him. mike5k: People would go NUTS if he was given a title shot. I think he knows that's not likely. I don't have a problem with him fighting Machida though, after the Dragon just dropped 2 (3) in a row. JujitsWho: I'd actually like to see the Couture/Machida fight at this point. Rua/Randy is just stupid though. Although I could just go smoke a cig and come back to watch Rua being announced the winner via insanly brutal KO as Randy continue to twitch on the ground Id feel bad though......as much as he pisses me off sometimes, I can't help but like Captain America. mike5k: I like Randy too, old guys like me have to root for the old underdog. GO HARD: I hope he does retire. I like Randy as a person... fight? meh. im tired of seeing him fight. retire already randy. D_V: I don't like Randy. He talked shit about Rua before and after the Forrest Griffin fight. He should have been made to fight the Pride guys. Just so everyone would know what was really up. I think Randy gets away with being a complete asshole just because he's Randy. I think he should come back and fight Cro Cop. They could both use that fight and that's all Randy deserves. He hasn't earned the right to be outpointed with no difficulty at all, by Machida, let alone that he'd probably get stopped anyways. Rua want to fight him too. He's actually asked for that fight. They should do it Brazil whether Rua is still champ or not. It would be a nice way for a an over rated person, that happens to be an incredibly over rated fighter, to go out like he deserves to go out, with a fucking beating put on him. Marker28: I would love to see Randy vs Machida. Middleweight: haha watch randy come and win a title on your asses haha. rite on. B_Type13X2: Let him fight Machida it would make more sense then to fight Shogun for a title. Verra+ Tony =/= a title shot. Wandering_Minstrel: I think a 100% healthy Shogun would completely butt rape Randy. I think now that Machida has his back against the wall he'd come out guns blazing and TKO Couture. Neither fight is good for him. Just retire already. fredshaulage: "It's time to move on and focus on all the other amazing things going on in my life! It's time." Take one of these fights and all you'd be focusing on for the rest of your vegetative life is who rolls you over every hour and drains your shit bag. IwishIwasMMA: If couture lasted a full round against Shogun I would be shocked. If he got two takedowns on Machida I would be shocked...... Couture is not worthy of fighting them unless he >EARNS< it. B_Type13X2: If Randy fights any top 6's right now at lhw he loses horribly. Shogun Machida Rashad Rampage Bones Bader... They all beat him. D_V: He should have had the rich franklin fight instead of forrest. D_V: forrest should have been thrown to Jones so I could be amused. flyangler: Note: I am the #1 Couture nutthugger on the planet. I think the only un-entertaining fight he was in, was against Vera, in which he hung on for dear life. I think he would have to have a similar unentertaining/safe fight to even have a slight chance of winning against Machida. If he couldn't close the gap and get in the clinch with Machida, I think he'll end up asleep like Rashad Evens did. I think the best fight for him would be against Evans in a wrestling match. Captain America FTW D_V: Superfights, anyways. Forrest and rich still think they are contenders though. that's what sucks. They never fucking fight anyone. And why does Forrest get to fight exclusively in Vegas? What the fuck is that? D_V: I can actually understand favoritism for Couture and Liddel but they both don't get that. Randy fought in England and Boston. Chuck fought in Atlanta, Montreal and Vancouver. Forrest gets fucking babied by Dana. B_Type13X2: I hate how Bonnar and Griffin get a free ride because of that one fight. Liddel vs. Wanderlei was a much better fight IMO. B_Type13X2: You know the ER where I live actually monitors nights where the UFC has fights and notices alot more people come in on fight nights after being beaten up then on other comparable nights? There is no difference between a regular saturday night and a saturday night with boxing on though. And the ER nurses and doctors told me that on nights with Forrest or Brock on the card they have even more customers then they would have with a UFC card without those 2 on it. Conclusion the UFC and MMA has alot of fans who are fucking retards atleast in my city. arlovskiviako: Food arlovskiviako: Cannoli, BLAH.
HOW WILL THE THIAGO ALVES VS. MARTIN KAMPMANN FIGHT END AT UFC ON FX 2?
Alves def. Kampmann via TKO/KO
Alves def. Kampmann via submission
Alves def. Kampmann via decision
Kampmann def. Alves via TKO/KO
Kampmann def. Alves via submission
Kampmann def. Alves via decision
TAKE ANOTHER POLL!