UFC, BKFC Veteran Johnny Bedford Retires from Combat Sports

Johnny Bedford is calling it a career at 39 years old.

The former UFC competitor and BKFC bantamweight champion announced his decision on the BKFC Weekly Show, citing a lack of motivation to continue the type of training necessary to compete at a high level. He also says he’s made enough fighting with BKFC to be financially stable.

“I don’t have to fight just buy diapers and pay rent and do whatever it took,” Bedford said (transcription via MMAjunkie.com). “I used to fight, sh—t, twice a month just to pay bills. Because of bareknuckle and because of smart decisions I’ve made with my money from bareknuckle, I’m finally in a position where, wow. I don’t have to do this anymore. It was probably the hardest decision I’ve made.”

Bedford hasn’t competed in MMA since September 2017, when he lost a five-round majority decision to Jesse Arnett at Z Promotions “Fight Night 5: Medicine Hat.” He was a cast member on Season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter” before going 2-3 with one no contest during a brief stint in the UFC. He compiled a 23-14-1 career mark over the course of professional tenure that began in 2006.

More recently, the Forth Worth, Texas, known as “Brutal” has enjoyed a fair measure of success with BKFC, compiling a 6-1 mark while capturing the vacant bantamweight crown in his last appearance in August 2021.