Nate Marquardt Announces Return from Retirement, Plans to Compete for Titan FC

Nate Marquardt making his MMA return Aug 6th #TitanFC70 pic.twitter.com/LsPcnzoUb9

— Jim (@ItAlways420) July 3, 2021

Nate Marquardt will return to action for the first time since November 2017.

The former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger announced his comeback from retirement during Titan FC 70 on Friday. Marquardt plans to fight at the promotion’s Aug. 6 event. An opponent for the fight was not revealed.

“It’s 100 percent God,” Marquardt said of his motivation to return. “Honestly, I’ve been sent here to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and He’s the only way to be saved and our nation is in desperate need right now to turn back to the Lord. I believe that’s the message God has for me and I’m really excited to fight again.”

Marquardt initially revealed that in December 2019, but it wasn’t until now that “The Great” was able to make those plans concrete. The ex-King of Pancrase first announced his retirement at the end of 2017 on the heels of a loss to Cezar Ferreira at UFC Fight Night 120.

The 42-year-old High Altitude Martial Arts representative has won just three of his last 12 bouts dating back to January 2013. Marquardt’s last victory came via second-round KO against Tamdan McCrory at UFC Fight Night 96 on Oct. 1, 2016. He challenged for the middleweight crown at UFC 73, losing to champion Anderson Silva via TKO at 4:50 of the opening round. “The Great” would capture Strikeforce gold with a fourth-round stoppage of Woodley in July 2012 but lost the belt to Tarec Saffiedine at the promotion’s final event in January 2013.

Marquardt owns a 35-19-2 career mark that includes notable triumphs over the likes of Yves Edwards, Shonie Carter, Kazuo Misaki, Martin Kampmann, Jeremy Horn, Demian Maia, Rousimar Palhares and Woodley, to name a few.