Kurt Pellegrino stepping away from MMA...for now.

http://kurtpellegrino.com/?q=node/189

I am writing to let everyone know where I stand as far my fighting career goes. At this time I am choosing to take some time off and step away from the sport as a fighter. Over my most recent fights I have come to the realization that at this point I no longer can, nor want to make fighting my first priority. Never in my career have I lost two fights in a row and my last fight’s decision in particular was especially hard for me to swallow to be honest. Even last year when i was on a 3 fight win streak I still was questioning myself. This has made me reconsider what my next step will be competitively. I have spoken at length with Joe Silva about my decision and have decided not to renew my contract with the UFC. I want to take the time to regroup, refocus, and rethink what it is that I want to do going forward. I want to do things that I enjoy right now and refresh my mind. I want to concentrate on my BJJ game and improve it. I want to work on my boxing game and improve that also. I’d like to compete in some grappling tournaments again like the old days and maybe even try my hand at a pro boxing fight. I want to have fun training again, bottom line. Most importantly I want to spend more time with my family. My daughter is four years old and I can’t tell you how much of her life I’ve missed dedicating my life to training for fights. I did so willingly and I’ve made a lucrative career with the UFC, but I’m not sure I could ever say any amount of money was worth it. My wife and I just welcomed a baby boy and I can’t bare the thought of missing as much of his ‘firsts’ as I did my daughters. I’m looking forward to dedicating more of my time to my academy which we’ve just expanded to 9000 square feet. I have almost 300 students and a professional and amateur fight team that I am excited to give more of my time to them, they deserve it. I’m also looking forward to keeping involved in the MMA community and giving back to the sport that has given me so much. I have been able to book many seminars this summer and I am excited to meet fellow martial artists all over the world and help them in a small way to chase their fighting dreams. There are also a few business opportunities for me personally that I would like to pursue, but was unable to do so because of training and fighting. I just want to take this time to focus on some other things in my life and see if I get the itch to fight again.

I am very proud of what I have accomplished over the past eleven years in this sport. I was able to do all the things that I set out to do, which includes achieving a black belt in brazilian jiu jitsu, competing in the world championship Abu Dhabi tournament, and fighting all over the world including Japan and of course in the top MMA organization in the world, the UFC, for five years and 12 fights. Of those twelve fights I was awarded five ‘Fight of the Night’ and ‘Submission of the Night’ honors and for that I am proud.

There are so many people I owe so much to I can’t begin to name them all. Thank you to Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Joe Silva for the opportunity to fight in the best organization in the world for all these years. Thank you to all my coaches, training partners, my agent, my sponsors, and my students for their support. And thank you to my family, especially my wife for her undying love and encouragement all these years.

It is bitter sweet to possibly end my career on a loss and something I will have to deal with on my own, but overall it has been a rewarding 11 years for me and I want the end to be on my terms and no one else’s. Its hard to make a decision like this, but I feel its best for me to step away for now and time will tell what the future will bring for me. I don’t want to retire, but I need to find myself and find my love for this sport again.

Hopefully you will see me in the cage again, but if not thanks to everyone for the memories, its been an awesome ride.

Longtime lightweight standout Kurt Pellegrino won’t be stepping into the Octagon anytime soon, as “Batman” announced on his website today that he’s taking a break from the sport for the time being.

“I have spoken at length with Joe Silva about my decision and have decided not to renew my contract with the UFC,” wrote Pellegrino. “I want to take the time to regroup, refocus, and rethink what it is that I want to do going forward. I want to do things that I enjoy right now and refresh my mind.”

7-5 in the UFC from 2006 to 2011, Pellegrino consistently delivered compelling action, winning a Fight of the Night award for his 2008 victory over Thiago Tavares and a Submission of the Night award for his finish of Fabricio Camoes in 2010. Following back-to-back losses to George Sotiropoulos and Gleison Tibau, both by decision, the 32-year old New Jersey native has decided to take a step back.

“At this time I am choosing to take some time off and step away from the sport as a fighter,” he wrote. “Over my most recent fights I have come to the realization that at this point I no longer can, nor want to make fighting my first priority. Never in my career have I lost two fights in a row and my last fight’s decision in particular was especially hard for me to swallow.”

“Most importantly I want to spend more time with my family,” he continued. “My daughter is four years old and I can’t tell you how much of her life I’ve missed dedicating my life to training for fights. I did so willingly and I’ve made a lucrative career with the UFC, but I’m not sure I could ever say any amount of money was worth it. My wife and I just welcomed a baby boy and I can’t bear the thought of missing as much of his ‘firsts’ as I did my daughter’s.”

The pro MMA record of Pellegrino, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, stands at 21-6.

UFC.com

He'll be back by the end of the year, watch.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

He'll be back by the end of the year, watch.

yup

Hard to say for sure, this year. He is really all about spending time with his new son.

Fighters get the itch. Further, FOTN bonuses are great for funding college for said child.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Fighters get the itch. Further, FOTN bonuses are great for funding college for said child.

College? Shit it's good for funding similac and diapers, let alone college. He will be back. I don't think Zuffa is gonna lose sleep over this news.

Oh taking a break, yeah read that earlier, he'll be back.

Watch this motherfucker in three months walk through the next Bellator tournament in route to a fight with Alvarez that Batman in seriousness could win.

That wouldn't be a bad idea actually. Pellegrino would likely roll to a cool 100k given Bellator's LW comp. His injury issues would probably kick his ass having to fight that many times in such a short period

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Fighters get the itch. Further, FOTN bonuses are great for funding college for said child.

Kurt already has the college funds set up, he has done well with his money and his academy gets bigger and bigger. He won't be hurting for money anytime soon.





Also there is talk that they, one of the networks, will be making a Real Housewives Of MMA and Kurt's wife will be one of the people on the show.

Douche.

bobbitt15 wrote:

Douche.

Why do you hate America?

I'm tired of Tim Kennedy, I know that much

yeah, he likes to talk... A LOT

Primetyme199 wrote:

Also there is talk that they, one of the networks, will be making a Real Housewives Of MMA and Kurt's wife will be one of the people on the show.

I herd the same thing with a couple other NJ fighters.

JerseyStyle wrote:

Primetyme199 wrote:

Also there is talk that they, one of the networks, will be making a Real Housewives Of MMA and Kurt's wife will be one of the people on the show.

I herd the same thing with a couple other NJ fighters.

Yeah, so far I have heard Pellegrino, Catone, and Edgar.

Primetyme199 wrote:

Yeah, so far I have heard Pellegrino, Catone, and Edgar.

Thats what I herd as well.

Real Housewives of MMA, I guess I shouldn't be suprised, can they get Sable on it, but only Sable from 10 years ago, now that would be great tv.

Quote :

"I’ve been thinking about fighting again," said Pellegrino . Kurt Jr. aka ‘The Champ’ is doing amazing. He’s walking at 4 months, already. He’s cooking and eating his own meals. He’s just amazing for 4 months old. I heard that stuff has never been done before."

“I’m actually thinking about fighting again, but I don’t know what organization I will come to, and put my fist back in again.”

“Once again, when the champ was born, I asked Joe (Silva) if I could retire and walk away from the sport. Therefore, I ended my contract with the UFC. I greatly appreciate them, but I didn’t think it was my time. My head wasn’t in fighting. It was into raising a family and being there for them. They let me leave, which was very nice. I just don’t know if fighting in the UFC is what I want to do right now. It’s not that I don’t ‘want’ to fight for them. It’s just that fighting for them is a lot of traveling, autograph signing. It’s not ‘just’ fighting with them. You have to keep up with marketing yourself as a brand, and I have a family. Do I want to come back to fighting? Yes. Do I think the time, right now, for me, is to be in the UFC? No.”

LOL, what

He wants to be a big fish in a small pond as opposed to a little fish in a big pond.

Primetyme199 wrote:

He wants to be a big fish in a small pond as opposed to a little fish in a big pond.

that's what it seems like PT