UFC 129: Randy Couture Will Move On After Lyoto Machida

A Japanese proverb once said, “If you fall down seven times, stand up eight more times.”  

That’s how you deal with life and that’s how Randy Couture prolonged his career for 14 years. He could have folded out when he lost consecutively to Enson Inoue and Mikhail Illoukhine early on his career.

However, it was never a reason to quit. Never a reason to hold on—it was always about moving forward and learning from all your mistakes.  Randy never took losing as a setback; it was always a welcome situation to get him better.

It has been a long journey so far and Randy already travelled at the end of the yellow brick road. Somewhere and somehow, beyond a fighter’s time line and beyond championship belts and promises, he has to draw the line.

A 47-year-old fighter that turns 48 in two months time has been given only a tiny space on the Octagon, a tiny speck of right to fight and turn back the hands of time. Nobody had really made it that far and Randy has turned out to be beyond expectations.

Couture is one of the most popular MMA fighters in history. Despite being a small heavyweight fighter he held the championship belt three times and twice as a light heavyweight.

His punches still got its pop. However, he is now a step slower. And his once granite jaw has softened up with age.

Those body punches, roundhouse kicks, submissions and superman punch seems to hurt now. But when you are at the end of the road the only logical thing to do is find another road to travel on. Make bridges or find new heights to conquer.

Randy never wants to retire just because of his age or lack of competitiveness. He wants to do it on his own term It was never a question about his legacy when it’s already intact. It is always about heart and determination, and as long as he still got the two in check he will always continue to fight.

UFC 129 will be Randy Couture’s swan song, one last fight against a very good competition in Lyoto Machida. This would be a fitting finale as the old warrior goes to battle for one last time. Win, lose or draw, it doesn’t matter anymore.

Randy will bid goodbye to his fighting days. He could have chosen an easy fight, but he wanted that way. It’s his farewell fight and his ultimate finale, and he fights on his own terms.

Fall seven times, stand up eight times…that is just how Randy Couture’s career goes as he moves on to a new challenge-called life.