Din Thomas, one of the coaches at American Top Team, and a former fighter himself, says he has no problem telling his fighters when it’s time to hang up the gloves. Thomas opened up on the topic in a conversation with Joe Rogan on the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show.

https://youtu.be/iTLbaarXoW8

“I’m pretty honest with them,” Din Thomas told Joe Rogan on the show (transcript via MMAjunkie). “I’m pretty honest. I’m like, ‘Man, this ain’t for you no more.’ I always have to tell them if I feel like it’s going to effect them physically and hurt them by continuing to fight, I tell them, ‘You need to stop.’

Thomas added that, most of the time, fighters will heed is advice on the topic, but if they refuse to, he’s ok with stepping away.

“More often than not they kind of listen,” Thomas said. “They kind of know and they just needed somebody else to say it. And I’m willing to tell them. I always try to tell them. And if they don’t want to do it, I can’t be a part of it.”

Do you think coaches like Din Thomas should take more responsibility in telling their fighters when it’s time to retire from competition?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 1/9/2019.