Rory MacDonald has been fighting professionally since he was was a teenager, but it appears that “The Red King” has reached the end of the line.
The 33-year-old MacDonald announced his retirement from MMA in statement via Instagram following a first-round technical knockout loss to short-notice foe Dilano Taylor in the welterweight semifinals at the Professional Fighters League playoffs on Saturday.
“My time has come to put the gloves down for good,” MacDonald wrote. “I’m so thankful for this sport and every person I’ve been able to meet along the way.
“I started this sport as a 14-year-old kid, I still remember my first day and knowing this is what I want to spend my life doing. The passion for martial arts and becoming a pro MMA fighter gave me hope and a way to a better life! And I’m so thankful to God for putting that gym Toshido MMA in Kelowna in my path. It truly changed the direction of my life and saved me!
“What an adventure this career has been, 17 years of professional fighting. It all came and went so fast! So many painful trainings that are etched into my being, travelling to all parts of the planet and meeting so many people.
“I’ve learned so much about myself through this career, not all of it good. And I’ve made so many mistakes along the way, but here I am 33 years old a better man because of those mistakes, to which I’m very grateful I’ve grown up.”
MacDonald’s PFL stint did not go as anticipated. Including the aforementioned loss to Taylor, the Tristar Gym export went just 2-4 over the course of two seasons after being one of the organization’s most high-profile free agent signings.
However, MacDonald has enjoyed plenty of memorable moments over the course of a professional career that began in 2005. His fifth-round technical knockout loss to Robbie Lawler in a welterweight title bout at UFC 189 is regarded as one of the best fights in the history of the Las Vegas-based promotion, and he went on to capture 170-pound gold in Bellator MMA by besting Douglas Lima. His 23-10-1 career mark includes wins over the likes of Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia, B.J. Penn, Nate Diaz, Paul Daley and Neiman Gracie, among others.
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