Bellator HW Champion Cole Konrad RETIRES

http://mmajunkie.com/news/30605/bellator-heavyweight-champ-cole-konrad-retires-status-of-belt-unknown.mma
Suddenly, Bellator is without a heavyweight champ.

Cole Konrad, a two-time NCAA wrestling champ who transitioned to MMA and dominated the competition in the tournament-based promotion, is for now retiring from the sport.

Plans to find a new champion are unclear at the moment. The news first was reported by Twincities.com and subsequently confirmed to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) by a source close to the promotion.

The Twincities.com report said Konrad, 28, is leaving fighting to become a financial trader at a Minnesota-based firm that supplies ingredients to the feed, pet food, food processing and chemical industries. Konrad will specialize in trading milk products.

Bellator officials declined comment on Konrad's retirement.

Konrad (9-0 MMA, 7-0 BFC), who won his NCAA titles while at the University of Minnesota, made his MMA debut in 2010 and earned two wins before signing with Bellator. He went on to fight in the promotion's inaugural heavyweight tournament and swept the field to become the Bellator heavyweight champion.

He defended his title in March with a 60-second submission win over Eric Prindle.

For more on Bellator's upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

Quote :

The Twincities.com report said Konrad, 28, is leaving fighting to become a financial trader at a Minnesota-based firm that supplies ingredients to the feed, pet food, food processing and chemical industries. Konrad will specialize in trading milk products.

WTF!?!?!?!?!?!?!???????

Primetyme199 wrote:

Exactly, I had no idea he was even considering retirement. Is there more to the story or is he crazy about his new job?

I'm thinking there is more to the story. Sooner or later we'll find out what the deal is.

Primetyme199 wrote:

I'm thinking there is more to the story. Sooner or later we'll find out what the deal is.

Yeah I guess Bellator won't confirm it right now but they will address it soon.

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Konrad will specialize in trading milk products.

Lol, someone's gotta milk all them cows... Could he be psissdd cuz he's never fighting?

Hopefully Bellator gets rid of that division now

OU wrote:

Primetyme199 wrote:

Exactly, I had no idea he was even considering retirement. Is there more to the story or is he crazy about his new job?

Maybe the job pays much better then Bellator? Maybe this a negotiating tool?

I'm pretty sure they were always saying how this guy stepped away from his Masters program to do MMA, always talking about this guy being smart. Just sounds like he is back to it now.

GDPofDRC wrote:

I'm pretty sure they were always saying how this guy stepped away from his Masters program to do MMA, always talking about this guy being smart. Just sounds like he is back to it now.

And $$$ and notoriety at Bellator was not worth it. prob is as simple as all that.

captain organic wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

I'm pretty sure they were always saying how this guy stepped away from his Masters program to do MMA, always talking about this guy being smart. Just sounds like he is back to it now.

And $$$ and notoriety at Bellator was not worth it. prob is as simple as all that.

Weird that he is bailing right before Bellator hits SPIKE.

OU wrote:

captain organic wrote:

GDPofDRC wrote:

I'm pretty sure they were always saying how this guy stepped away from his Masters program to do MMA, always talking about this guy being smart. Just sounds like he is back to it now.

And $$$ and notoriety at Bellator was not worth it. prob is as simple as all that.

Weird that he is bailing right before Bellator hits SPIKE.

Don't rule out negotiating ploy.

he could be tired of the gym and have a chance to make bank and take it easy on himself.