Couture's Last Stand - Says He Will Retire After UFC 129

[keithlewis]

The UFC 129 conference call just ended and here is what 'The Natural' Randy Couture had to say:

- Wants to go out on his own terms and believes that time has come regardless of outcome against Machida.

“It’s time to focus on the other things I’ve got going on in my life after this fight. I’ve pushed it pretty far. I don’t think anyone is going to push it as far as I have over the last fourteen years.”.

- Says it’s exciting to be part of a show as huge as UFC 129 but that it wasn’t a factor in his decision to hang up his gloves, says it’s been “coming for awhile”.

- Calls Machida a “tremendous fighter and tremendous athlete”.

- “I feel healthy, I feel great. I can still compete at this level. I just don’t want to stretch it. I don’t want to wait until I have that injury and have doctors telling me I can’t fight anymore. I want to enjoy the rest of my life right now, I don’t want to wait too long.”

- Anticipates the UFC will try and talk him into at least one more fight after this bout but will burn that bridge when it arrives.

- Can see himself go back to commentating on broadcasts at some point in the future.

- Doesn’t think a win will change his mind.

“Win, lose, or draw doesn’t factor into the equation.”

- Said his previous retirement was different because of the personal things going on in his life such as the divorce and contract issues, says he’s very happy right now and his life couldn’t be going any better.

- Says this fight and show are so huge his retirement isn’t “that big of a deal”.

[NWOWolfpack]

If you just looked at his record he would be an average fighter but when you see his competition...............he will go down as one of the best EVA!!

[ArmyofDarkness]

I WOULD WAGER HE RETURNS AT SOME POINT TO PUT A BEATING ON SOMEONE.