mma / News
Chris Cariaso Says He’s Happy With How His MMA Career Went
Chris Cariaso spoke with MMAjunkie about his decision to retire and more. Check out the highlights:
On lack of motivation fueling his decision to retire: “That motivation to drop to 125 pounds and dieting and all that, the fire to do all that was not burning as hard as it used to be.”
On his training work: “I think I’ll always have that desire to want to come back, but I train and coach. I think I’m going to be able to get that satisfaction of fighting by watching my team go out there and fight.”
On being happy with his career: “I’m very happy (career-wise). Obviously I didn’t achieve that ultimate goal of winning that gold belt, but I’m very happy with it. I fought the best guys in the world, and I’ve competed all over the world. I got an opportunity that very few ever achieve, and that most people just dream of, just being able to have that opportunity has been amazing. I feel blessed that I was able to compete at the level I did.”
On his fight with Demetrious Johnson at UFC 178: “That was an experience of a lifetime, and there’s a lot of what ifs in there. I wish I could back and redo that fight, but everything happens for a reason, and it was a great experience.”
On his biggest “what if”: “I had some great fights in Japan and Brazil and being able to go fight all over the world, and just fighting in the MGM was a dream come true. I guess my big what if is that I really wanted to get the win in the MGM; that was my nemesis.”
On his coaching: “I’m actually working with a couple up-and-comers that if I can get them three or four more wins, they’re going to be in the UFC. So I will be back in the UFC, but behind the cage, hopefully by the end of this year.”