UFC, WEC Veteran Takeya Mizugaki Retires from MMA

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 250 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Advertisement

Takeya Mizugaki, a veteran of 39 professional fights, has called it a career at 36 years old.

The Japanese bantamweight announced his decision to MMA Planet on Tuesday. Mizugaki compiled a 23-14-2 record over the course of a tenure that began in 2005.

ありがとうございました！！最高でした！！#MMA https://t.co/e6rrbzMluQ

— Takeya Mizugaki (@takeya_miz) June 2, 2020

Mizugaki is best known for his stints with the UFC and the now-defunct WEC. He came up just short in a split-decision defeat to then bantamweight champ Miguel Torres in a memorable bout in his WEC debut in 2009. The Japanese veteran also faced Urijah Faber, Jeff Curran and Scott Jorgensen in WEC competition. Mizugaki went on to compete 14 times under the UFC banner from 2011 to 2016, compiling an 8-6 record while squaring off against the likes of Dominick Cruz, Aljamain Sterling, Cody Garbrandt, Eddie Wineland, Erik Perez and Bryan Caraway.

Mizugaki parted ways with the UFC in 2017 and went 2-3 while competing for the Absolute Championship Akhmat, Deep and Rizin promotions. He last appeared at Rizin 18 in August 2019, when he suffered a second-round KO loss to Manel Kape.