After nearly 20 years of fighting professionally in MMA, Court McGee has decided to hang up his gloves.
McGee (22-14 MMA, 11-13 UFC), who won the 11th Fighter Ultimate Series in 2010, will compete in his final fight this Saturday at UFC 332 (Paramount+) in Salt Lake City. He will take on Eric Nolan (8-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in the city’s welterweight division. Retirement has been something that has been on McGee’s mind for several years now. In fact, last time he signed a new contract with the UFC, McGee knew it would be his last.
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“Yeah, the fight is retired, but I knew two years ago when I signed this four-fight deal, I knew the end was coming and I was confident with it,” McGee told MMA Junkie. “Before, with the neck injury, I thought I was done and I was going to end up in a table fight, and after I completed that last one, I didn’t feel that good in years. I feel really good. I feel really healthy, but I’m 41 and I’ll turn 42 this year. As they say, I’m played by the young, and I want to do it when I did the characters. The gym. There’s a lot of life behind me 40. I feel good about my decision. I made this decision with those who are close to me, and with him I am fine.
McGee prioritized health with his decision to retire from MMA. He feels healthy, especially after having neck surgery before the Alex Morono fight in 2024, and he wants to keep it that way. He feels that his body can constantly fight.
“Staying healthy is my biggest concern right now. I’ve had neck surgery. I think maybe 17 or 18 pretty major surgeries, as a matter of fact,” McGee said. “I feel healthy now and I have my wits about me. It’s still more profitable to continue to fight, but what do you do? Is it payday? I don’t want to finish and just be in the grocery store, and now I feel healthy, but not, ‘Hey, I feel healthy – let’s go four more.’ I want to continue feeling healthy.”
In addition to maintaining health, which is difficult to focus on sports during the competition, UFC 332 takes place in the home state, setting the perfect scenario to say goodbye to MMA.
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“It’s a cool thing to be able to graduate in Salt Lake City, in my home state, 30 minutes from where I grew up and about 45 minutes from where I live now,” McGee said. “Couldn’t have worked out any better. The last fight is the end of my contract in my home state after 16 years? Bro, when does that happen? I’m more than grateful for the opportunity to end it here in Utah.”
This article first appeared on MMA Junkie: Court McGee explains the factors in his retirement decision ahead of UFC 332