Retirement is a normal part of life, but until now, it has been uncommon for those who have previously departed mixed martial arts and the UFC (and didn’t find new employment in a related area) to express their satisfaction.The UFC is the top of the sport, and most of the best fighters in the world either participate there now or aspire to do so in the future. Although it’s undoubtedly the best, there are still a few issues that the campaign needs to address if it wants to maintain its leadership for many years to come.
Roxanne Modafferi, a former women’s flyweight competitor, wrote on social media about her happiness since giving up fighting and started to enumerate all the good things going on in her life.
“Thank you for my new existence; I am really enjoying it! Married, just started a BJJ class for teens, recently started a new work teaching English, etc. acquiring gardening and sewing skills.
Modafferi made the choice to hang up her gloves and end her career in the sport after competing against Casey O’Neill and losing by a razor-thin split decision. Despite dropping four of her final five bouts, the upbeat fighter had a contagious personality that frequently made people around her smile.
While some may not recognise her by name, “The Happy Warrior” is also well-known for her distinctive sense of style during weigh-ins, frequently seen donning a Goku-inspired hairdo from Dragon Ball Z.
Roxanne Modafferi’s career in the UFC
Roxanne Modafferi, who started her professional fighting career back in 2003, is a pioneer for women’s mixed martial arts despite the briefness of her time in the cage.
The now-40-year-old had already participated in 25 fights in the sport prior to participating on her second season of The Ultimate Fighter, and she was a seasoned veteran before ever entering the octagon.
Modafferi made ten more UFC appearances after Nicco Montano defeated her in the first women’s flyweight title match. Despite having a less than stellar 4-7 record with the organization, the endearing athlete did manage to force a decision against up-and-coming competitors Maycee Barber and Taila Santos as well as dare rising stars Viviane Araujo and Taila Santos to a match.