UFC Lightweight Joe Solecki Retires from MMA at 31

Nine-time Octagon veteran Joe Solecki is calling it a career. The UFC lightweight announced his retirement in an post via Instagram on Monday. The 31-year-old exits the sport with a 13-6 career mark. The Wenonah, New Jersey, native went 5-4 during his tenure with the Las Vegas-based promotion.

“Today, after chasing this dream for 10 years, I am officially retiring from the sport of MMA,” Solecki wrote.

“I started this endeavor as a kid with a dream of making it to the UFC. It then grew into so many more goals and dreams, some of which I achieved and others where I fell short. In a way, despite falling short at times (especially this past year), I ‘lived my movie.’ Competing at the highest level in the UFC and grinding it out on the regional circuit to make it to the top have taught me more life lessons and things about myself, hard work, and determination than I ever could’ve imagined. This avenue in life has helped me grow in so many ways as a man, athlete, husband, father, and most of all has helped me grow and develop deeper in my faith and relationship with God. I have made lifelong relationships that I’ll cherish forever, have experienced the amazing feeling of victory, the adversity of defeat, and the joy of overcoming that adversity. I have been able to go places and experience things I never even dreamed of because of this sport, all memories that I’ll also cherish.

“I won’t be far away from the sport, as I look forward to being on the mats every day, both training still and coaching the next generation of martial artists at Gym-O. I hope to play a small part in helping others experience these same things I mentioned above in their own lives. And you will certainly be seeing me competing in grappling soon, as competition will always be a part of me.”

Solecki earned a UFC contract on the third season of Dana White's Contender Series in 2019. He won five of his first six outings in the organization, including notable triumphs over veterans Jim Miller and Matt Wiman. Solecki fell on hard times after that, dropping three straight bouts against Drakker Klose, Grant Dawson and most recently, Nurullo Aliev on Jan. 11.