Former WEC Title Challenger Jeff Curran Retires from MMA

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After 51 pro fights and nearly 16 years of mixed martial arts competition, Jeff Curran has decided to hang up his gloves.

Sherdog.com on Saturday verified Curran’s retirement with his longtime manager, Monte Cox. “The Big Frog” made his decision following a split-decision loss to Pedro Munhoz in the main event of Friday night’s RFA 9 event at StubHub Center in Los Angeles.

Curran began his amateur MMA career in 1997 and turned pro the following year, fighting for Cox’s Extreme Challenge promotion. The 35-year-old went on to compete for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the International Fight League and the Pride Fighting Championships before challenging Urijah Faber for the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight title in 2007.

Following his failed title bid, the Illinois native suffered three more defeats in the WEC cage before making appearances in Strikeforce and Bellator. Curran returned to the UFC as a bantamweight in 2011, sustaining losses to Scott Jorgensen and Johnny Eduardo before making his first Extreme Challenge appearance in 13 years this past May and triumphing over Joshua Killion in his 125-pound debut.

Curran leaves the sport with a career mark of 34-16-1, with 19 of his wins coming by way of submission. Outside the cage, the veteran owns Team Curran MMA in Crystal Lake, Ill., and trains his cousin, Pat Curran, who currently reigns as Bellator’s featherweight champion.