Canadian UFC bantamweight Nick Denis retires from MMA citing a fear of brain damage

Canadian bantamweight and UFC contender Nick Denis has officially retired from MMA. He seemed to be on a roll, with a huge win over Joseph Sandoval, and a disheartening loss to Roland Delorme at UFC on FOX 3.

Denis has decided to give up his MMA dream because of the fear of brain damage.

In his personal blog, he writes:

“In the last couple years, and especially in the last few months leading up to my May 5th fight, while sparring I would notice that when I got hit, it would affect me more and more. When I first started sparring I would run through punches unaffected. Not only that, but now training at Tristar, I am literally training with the world’s best. We are all training at the highest level, all for the same reasons. Could I fight in the UFC, against the best fighters in our solar system, literally trained killers, without sparring in training? Not really, so what was I to do? I have made the decision to retire.”

Denis, a ph.D student in biochemistry has done his research on concussions, as well as sub-concussive trauma, something he does not want to have at a later age in his life.

We wish Nick Denis well in his future endeavors.