UFC, Bellator, Cage Warriors vet Rosi Sexton announces retirement from MMA
After 18 pro fights over more than 12 years, Rosi Sexton, considered one of the pioneers of women’s MMA, has announced her retirement from the sport.
Sexton, 36, brought the news via her website. In an emotionally honest blog post titled “Where next?,†Sexton said, “Right now, there’s a new chapter waiting.â€
The native of Manchester, England, a bantamweight, sees the end come on the heels of a three-fight losing streak, including decision losses in both her fights in the UFC. Two weeks ago, Sexton returned to Cage Warriors in England and was knocked out by highly regarded prospect Joanna Jedrzejczjk in the second round.
“The bottom line – right now I have more to offer the sport outside the cage than inside it,†Sexton said in the post. “I don’t want to give up on being the fighter I believe I’m capable of; but there are bigger things going on. It’s time for me to focus on other ways of making a difference. I don’t know how this will play out, or what’s ’round the next corner, but it looks like it’s finally time to use that ‘R’ word.â€
In recent months, Sexton has offered up her color commentary services to Cage Warriors, the promotion she fought most for over her career, going 6-0 there before signing with the UFC. But it also appears that promotion is where she’ll end her career.
Sexton started her pro career 5-0 with five stoppage wins – four in the first round with submissions, and three by armbar. In the process, she won Cage Warriors’ 132-pound women’s title with a TKO victory over Dina Van den Hooven. But in September 2006, she was knocked out by Gina Carano for the first loss of her career.
But she rebounded quickly, going on another five-fight run with victories for Bodog Fight, ShoXC and Bellator. In June 2010, she was knocked out by Zoila Frausto Gurgel at Bellator 23 before returning to Cage Warriors nearly five years to the day from her most recent fight for the promotion.
At Cage Warriors 69, she stopped Sally Krumdiack in the first round. Three months later, she took a decision from fellow future UFC fighter Roxanne Madafferi at Cage Warriors 40. After 15 months on the sidelines, she outpointed Aisling Daly at Cage Warriors 47 as part of the promotion’s women’s flyweight tournament. She was set to face Sheila Gaff in the final. But a week before the fight, Gaff pulled out, citing illness. Sexton never did get to fight for Cage Warriors’ 125-pound belt.
Instead, she signed with the UFC and went into enemy territory to face Canadian Alexis Davis in Winnipeg at UFC 161. She dropped a unanimous decision in that fight, but got another shot this past October – this time in her own stomping ground.
But despite the big home-city pop in Manchester at UFC Fight Night 30, Sexton was dominated by Jessica Andrade, who took the decision with a sweep of the judges’ scorecards – including a pair of 30-26 tallies. Following the loss, Sexton was released by the UFC.
She gave it one last run against Jedrzejczjk, an up-and-coming striker who stayed unbeaten with the win.
“This isn’t how I wanted it all to end,†Sexton said. “The way it did will haunt me for as long as I’m around MMA, but that’s something I’ll learn to live with. As a veteran coming towards the end of a career, you have a choice. You can fight cans, or you can fight prospects. Anyone can look good against someone who isn’t. When you fight prospects, there’s always a chance you’ll go down in flames. Living with the knowledge that I’d taken the easy way out would have been much harder.â€
