Two-Time ‘TUF’ Cast Member, UFC Veteran Dhiego Lima Announces Retirement

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Dhiego Lima is calling it a career after 24 professional fights.

The 33-year-old Brazilian, who trains out of American Top Team Atlanta, announced his decision via Instagram. Lima had been scheduled to face Miguel Baeza at UFC Fight Night on April 16.

“Hey guys I am making this post to announce that I will be retiring from fighting,” Lima wrote. “My timing and God’s timing is completely different. I feel like I’m in my prime, but He has bigger and better plans for my life. I know when God speaks to me, and He was clear that my fighting days are over.

“Thank you for everyone that has supported me through this journey. One thing I do is obey God even when I don’t want to and that’s the a lesson I hope you take from this: His plans are always better. Thank you [UFC] for my career and always taking care of me. I will be around as a coach there because I have plenty of young guns that will make it, and I will be there for them!!”

Lima later elaborated on his decision in an interview with Sherdog.com.

"It was God. It something from God. I was already booked to fight. I was getting ready. I was doing great in training," Lima said "But God came to my wife in a vision. My wife had a vision. God told her clearly that the last fight I had [against Matt Brown] would be the last one. I would not fight again. He told her there’s something greater planned for my life. I know when God is talking to me. I know God’s voice. I know he used my wife to talk to me. I have trust in it. I have full faith in God. I prefer to obey, even if I don’t want to. I was not ready to retire. I am in the best shape of my life. It wasn’t easy for me. I cried a lot yesterday to make this decision. It was very difficult. But I obey God above all. I know that God spoke and that he has something better for me. I am a youth leader at my church. God is using me to change the lives of those kids. I’ll keep doing this. And I still have my own academy. That won’t change. I’ll keep guiding them. That’s it. It was God’s voice.

"I don’t know what the future holds," he added. "I’ll keep running the academy and leading those kids. It’s what God wishes. When you follow God, he takes care of you. We’ll keep doing it. I already have my own fighters in the UFC. I’ll keep working at bringing all my MMA students to the UFC. I’ll guide their lives and help them any way I can. It wasn’t an easy decision to retire, but it’s what God wants now. I’ll obey God’s voice. Let’s see what the future holds."

Lima was a finalist on Season 19 and Season 25 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” and he went 4-7 across two stints in the UFC. The younger brother of former Bellator welterweight champ Douglas Lima enjoyed his greatest success in the Octagon from December 2018 to October 2019, when he earned successive triumphs over Chad Laprise, Court McGee and Luke Jumeau.

Lima fought twice in 2021, dropping a unanimous decision to Belal Muhammad at UFC 258 and falling to Matt Brown via second-round KO at UFC on ESPN 25. Lima compiled a 15-9 career mark over the course of a professional tenure that began in 2010.