Veteran UFC flyweight Matt Schnell has officially retired from mixed martial arts following his loss to Alessandro Costa at UFC Fight Night 278 in Las Vegas.
Schnell announced the decision on social media, bringing an end to a professional career that spanned nearly 15 years.
“Never made an excuse. Never took a short cut. Never leveraged my relationships. Always with dignity,”
“So grateful for the journey. Everything in this world I have, I owe to fighting.”
The former “The Ultimate Fighter 24” contestant reflected on the sacrifices he made throughout his career and said the time had come to move forward.
“And it didn’t come without a cost. I’ve left more than a piece of myself within the walls of that octagon. And I would do it again.”
“I believe it’s time to move on with the next step in my journey.”
Schnell also thanked his family, friends, and the UFC while revealing plans to help the next generation of fighters after retirement.
“To the Maynard’s and the @ufc, you changed my life. Now I rest and advocate for the next generation.”
Matt Leaves Behind a Storied Legacy
Matthew “Danger” Schnell put together a gritty, highly entertaining career in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions of mixed martial arts, concluding his journey with a professional MMA record of 17 wins, 11 losses, and 1 no-contest (7-9, 1 NC inside the UFC).
After building his reputation and capturing the Legacy FC Flyweight Championship, Schnell joined the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter Season 24 in 2016. Known for his lethal submission game, he holds the record for the second-most triangle-choke submissions in UFC history.
His standout performance came in July 2022 against Su Mudaerji, where Schnell survived severe early trouble to secure a stunning second-round triangle choke victory in a bout widely praised as a “Fight of the Year” contender.
He also earned a “Performance of the Night” bonus for a spectacular first-round triangle choke over Jordan Espinosa in 2019, alongside notable victories against Louis Smolka and Tyson Nam.