After Three UFC Bouts, 25-Year-Old French Prospect Tom Duquesnoy Announces Retirement

Tom Duquesnoy entered the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a prospect with a considerable amount of hype behind him. After three appearances with the Las Vegas-based promotion, “Fire Kid” is calling it a career.

The 25-year-old Frenchman, who turns 26 next month, announced his decision via Instagram on Sunday.

“Today I decide to go on a different path that attracts me a lot more and that takes me a big part of my energy. My new activities are such that I cannot be fully devoted to high level training,” Duquesnoy wrote. “I respect that sport too well to engage in [it half-heartedly] and that is why I am at a crossroads where it is essential for me to focus on what [I am most passionate about]. It is also the result of a long introspection that was not simple since it was my childhood dream to fight in UFC, I who watched the UFC’s since the age of twelve and who did everything, these last ten years, in order [for] this dream to materialize. This decision is good for me and comes from deep inside my heart.

“I announce my official retirement as [an] MMA fighter,” he continued. “I am already happy to feel your support in this new chapter of life dedicated as you know, to the teaching of the MMA [techniques] but ABOVE ALL, the spiritual aspect of the martial arts and the inner quest. And that is on that path that you are all WELCOME and I invite you to follow the continuation of my journey. A continuation where we will be able to meet more than ever. I take this opportunity to THANK FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART all the people that have illuminated my path, to have made this journey so dense in understandings and human values.”

Before signing with the UFC, Duquesnoy captured titles at featherweight and bantamweight in the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts while compiling a 14-1 professional mark. He went 2-1 in the UFC, posting victories over Patrick Williams and Terrion Ware while dropping a split verdict against Cody Stamann. Duquesnoy ends his career with a 16-2 record with one no contest, and he finished eight of his wins by KO/TKO and four by submission.

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Dear friends, The MMA has been for me THE school of life with travels and encounters all over the world, and most importantly, the opportunity to discover myself as a person. Today I decide to go on a different path that attracts me a lot more and that takes me a big part of my energy. My new activities are such that I can not be fully devoted to high level training. I respect that sport too well to engage in « half-hearted » and that is why I am at a crossroads where it is essential for me to focus on what passionates me the most. It is also the result of a long introspection that was not simple since it was my childhood dream to fight in UFC, I who watched the UFC’s since the age of twelve and who did everything, these last ten years, in order this dream to materialize. This decision is good for me and comes from deep inside my heart. I announce my official retirement as a MMA fighter. I am already happy to feel your support in this new chapter of life dedicated as you know, to the teaching of the MMA technics but ABOVE ALL, the spiritual aspect of the martial arts and the inner quest. And that is on that path that you are all WELCOME and I invite you to follow the continuation of my journey. A continuation where we will be able to meet more than ever. I take this opportunity to THANK FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART all the people that have illuminate my path, to have made this journey so dense in understandings and human values. Thank you to everyone

A post shared by Tom Duquesnoy (@tomfirekid) on May 12, 2019 at 8:57am PDT