Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has officially confirmed his retirement from mixed martial arts.
Bisping defeated Luke Rockhold by knockout to claim the belt at UFC 199, and, after one successful defence, he lost it to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217 last November.
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The 39-year-old was stopped by Kelvin Gastelum in his previous fight, which he has now revealed will be his final outing in the octagon.
"I am going to announce my official retirement from mixed martial arts," said Bisping on his Believe You Me podcast, adding that an eye injury sustained in his 2013 loss to Vitor Belfort played a role.
"It's been a long journey. I started training in 2003 so 15 years as a professional fighter.
"You can't do it forever, I've done it for a long time. Obviously, I've got issues with my eye, and after the Gastelum fight I started having issues with my good eye."
