Darren Stewart's retirement should serve as a lesson to all MMA fighters

This week former UFC fighter Darren Stewart announced his retirement from the sport with an emotional and eye opening statement. The fighter revealed that due to poor financial decisions throughout his career he was no longer able to keep doing what he loved.

"It hurts me to write this, but I think it’s time to call it a day," he wrote on Instagram. "Not by choice, but I’m forced too because I’ve lost a lot to this game trying to survive, and I can’t do it no more. When UFC let me go I should have invested something, but instead I put all my eggs in one basket AGAIN to get back to the top and life has gotten even worse."

Stewart admitted he should have invested the money he made in the UFC, but didn't. This is one harsh exapmple of not just bad fighter pay, but in the way that fighters view their careers as never-ending. We see fighters spending money on frivolous things like fancy cars, gaudy jewelry or lavish lifestyles. But not everyone is getting Conor McGregor money and can't be living like hin either.

"I’ve got family, and it’s not fair on them stressing just to keep food on the table," he wrote. "I love fighting, and I don’t want to call it as I’m only 33, but I’m not getting any help financially. Spoke about it a few times, so not going to go into it. Maybe I’ll get into boxing if it ever arises, but MMA? …..yeah I’m done. Brings tears writing this seriously, but it is what it is."

Darren Stewart said he's having trouble 'keeping food on the table'

Fellow MMA fighters should take these statements and learn from them, or else they may be in the same boat as Stewart is now. "I hope the next generation has learned a lot from me and my career," he wrote.

Stewart made his professional MMA debut on June 7, 2014 for Cage Warriors 69. He won the fight via TKO and would go on to win six more. His UFC debut came on Nov. 19, 2016 but ended in a no contest after the TKO win was overturned due to an accidental head butt. He fought for the UFC until August 2021 losing his final fight for the promotion to Dustin Jacoby. He returned to Cage Warriors to finish off his career with a loss to Carlos Pereira at Cage Warriors 169 on March 30.