Manny Gamburyan Says No One New About His Retirement Plans

Manny Gamburyan spoke last night (via MMAjunkie) following his retirement at last night’s UFC Fight Night 100. Some highlights are below:

On his retirement announcement: “I came to Brazil to get the ‘W.’ My plan was never to get retired in the octagon, it’s just – when he hurt me, when he dropped me and I got up. At that point, I felt like, ‘If I can’t hang with these guys, what am I doing here?’ I can’t do it anymore, so I’d rather walk away. No one knew. You can ask my cornerman, he didn’t even know. No one knows about this. I decided right when I got up. I looked at the audience and I’m like, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I just can’t do it anymore.’ I feel like it’s coming short.”

On his training for the bout: “I had a great camp. I had an amazing camp and I was feeling ready. It’s just one of those days it just doesn’t go your way. But I feel it’s time for me to hang it up. I’m training, I’m doing good, it’s just my body, it’s just – not tired, it’s just, over the 20, 25 years of training. I started my career in 1991 and I’ve been fighting since 1997. My first MMA fight was when I was 16 years old. My body is just too hurt to go through training camps again and fight again. Fighting is my favorite thing in the world, besides my little (daughter) Angelina and my wife, but it gets hard.”

On what he’s doing next: “I love this sport and I’ve been honored to work for the UFC for 10 years. So if any way I can stay with the family and work for something for them, I’m OK with that. But as of right now, I don’t think I’m going to change my mindset. When I say it’s done, it’s pretty much done.”

On his career as a whole: “I’m very much happy that I’ve accomplished a lot of stuff. Obviously I couldn’t get the gold, the belt around my waist, but I only fight for the belt. If I can’t get the gold, I won’t fight. I only fight for the gold, and I only fight for the ‘W.’ I’m not a sore loser. Johnny Eduardo was a better man tonight, and my goal is always to come to win, it doesn’t matter where I’m at. It could be in Brazil, it could be in Germany, it could be in my country, it doesn’t matter. If I can’t reach the gold, there’s no point for me to fight. And I feel like I can’t reach the gold. My body and my years of working and fighting, it’s not letting me get there anymore.”