Experienced UFC fighter Jared Gooden has announced he is retiring from professional MMA.
Gooden, a veteran of 34 fights, shared his retirement announcement on social media on Monday, ending his 10-year MMA career, which included two periods in the UFC. At 31 years old, Gooden decided to retire after his recent fight against Mahamed Aly at a Shogun Fights event in Hanover, Maryland, last Saturday.
In his announcement, Gooden stated, “I want to let everyone know that my time has come. I am retiring from the sport. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my journey, but honestly, I no longer have the same passion for fighting as I did when I was younger.”
Gooden also mentioned that he wants to focus on raising his daughter and explore new opportunities.
“I’m going to hang up my gloves for now, and I can’t wait to let you guys know what I’m going to do next in life,” Gooden said.
During his two stints in the UFC, nicknamed “Nite Train,” Gooden achieved 2 wins and 5 losses. He made his UFC debut in 2020, losing to Alan Jouban at UFC 255, and later secured a first-round knockout victory against Niklas Stoltze.
Gooden left the UFC in 2021 and returned in 2023. In his second run, he managed one win in three fights, a second-round submission of Wellington Turman, before returning to regional competitions.
He retires with a professional MMA record of 23 wins and 11 losses.
