Former UFC flyweight title challenger Ray Borg has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts at the age of 27.
Borg has been a member of the UFC roster since 2014, fighting in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions. On Thursday, he took to social media to announce that he is retiring from MMA, citing personal reasons. Check out what Borg wrote on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEaP9lAj6ZE/
Been in this game for a solid 14 years, never did I think retirement would come at the age of 27 but some decisions are harder than others and I have to make sure I am making the right one for my family. I appreciate all the love the MMA community has shown my family over the years but it may be time to move on to the next chapter of my life. Much love everyone!
Borg is a talented fighter who has shown throughout his six years in the UFC that he is a highly-skilled grappler who is exciting to watch when he fights. Unfortunately, actually stepping into the cage has been a major issue for Borg his entire career. Throughout his UFC run, Borg was mired in several issues that led to him withdrawing from fights. Early on in his career when he was a flyweight, he had serious issues missing weight, and they continued at bantamweight, which was frustrating for the UFC matchmakers and the fans.
Aside from his weight-related issues, Borg’s son Anthony has also been ill, which has been difficult for Borg and his family. Because of his son’s condition, Borg has been forced to withdraw from fights in the past to be with him. The UFC matchmakers gave Borg a much longer leash than most other fighters, but ultimately they recently decided to release him from the roster after his last-minute pull-out for a fight against Nate Maness in Las Vegas.
If this is indeed it for Borg, he will retire with a 13-5 MMA record accomplished between 2012 and 2020. Borg went 6-0 on the regional scene before being originally signed by the UFC. In the Octagon, Borg went 7-5 overall, with notable wins over Jussier Formiga, Louis Smolka, and Rogerio Bontorin. His last fight came this past May at UFC Fight Night Jacksonville where he lost a narrow split decision to Ricky Simon.
What was your favorite Ray Borg memory?