Julian Erosa is stepping inside the Octagon for the very last time.
On Saturday, Erosa will enter the cage for his 19th promotional bout, taking on Jeong Yeong Lee on the preliminary card of UFC Vegas 123 at the UFC Apex. Prior to the event, Erosa revealed that this will mark his final fight, a decision he has contemplated for some time.
“It’s been on my mind for quite a while,” Erosa shared with BJPENN.com. “I want to walk away from fighting on my own terms, rather than letting the sport force me out. A major reason for this decision was watching Darren Elkins’ interviews around his last bout and hearing him speak; I definitely don’t want to end up like that. I don’t want to be in my 40s and lacking mental sharpness.
“At this point in my life, with a two-and-a-half-year-old child, preserving my health is what matters most. I love competing, but fighting is a short career, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished; I am completely at peace with moving forward. I’m ready for the next chapter.”
In his retirement bout, Erosa will face Lee, who enters on a two-fight losing streak and may be fighting to keep his roster spot. Though Erosa wasn’t very familiar with Lee initially, he anticipates an exciting matchup.
Julian Erosa anticipates an exciting clash at UFC Vegas 123
“I had no idea who he was beforehand, but there are plenty of fighters in the UFC I don’t know; keeping tabs on everyone is tough,” Erosa remarked. “He’s a young guy who likes to exchange strikes in the middle of the Octagon, so there definitely won’t be a shortage of action.”
While Erosa is famous for his fan-pleasing, chaotic fighting style, this bout might take a different turn. Instead, his main priority is securing the win and closing out his career on a high note.
“I am fully focused on getting this victory; a lot of fighters talk about retiring and say whatever happens, happens,” Erosa said. “That isn’t my mindset; I’ve given this training camp my all because I want to win, leave my gloves in the cage, and have my hand raised. Even if I lose, this remains my final fight, because if I don’t set that hard boundary, there will always be ‘one more fight.’ Win, lose, or draw, this is the end of the road.”
Regardless of how the fight unfolds, Erosa is certain this is his final appearance and hopes to cap off his career with a submission victory.
“Utilizing some wrestling and ground work would definitely work to my advantage. I believe I could grind out a dull victory, but I’ve never been in a boring fight, so I’d love to go out there and submit him—though we might just end up standing and trading punches,” Erosa concluded.
This piece originally published on BJPENN.COM
