Hanging 'em up: Saskatoon fighter Mitch Clarke retires after tough loss at UFC 215
'That's the last time I'm going to put these on, so thank you'
There used to be one fighter from Saskatchewan in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. After UFC 215 in Edmonton, there are none.
The bout was regarded as a must-win for both fighters, since Clarke had dropped two straight and his opponent White had lost three of his last four. Either man could have been cut had they lost, but White put it all together with an impressive performance against a game Clarke, who never stopped trying to attack and engage.
Kicks working early for Clarke
Clarke moved forward steadily during the first round, with White looking to counter. Clarke had some modest success with a varied kick game, landing several head kicks, then low kicks, then some straight up the middle. White ate them all without appearing to be fazed at any point.
Clarke had less success in the clinch, though previously that has been the former wrestler's forte. He was unable to secure any takedowns, and most clinches seemed to work out in White's favour since he was able to do damage inside with short shots and elbows while Clarke managed only to land some knees.
Tide turns in the second round
In the second round White took over, catching Clarke with a knee and a front kick to the body as he closed, dropping him both times. White wisely decided to avoid the ground with submission artist Clarke and let him get up, focusing instead on his striking.
Another sequence in the clinch was the beginning of the end, with Clarke only sinking in one underhook, and White using his free arm to batter Clarke with savage elbows. A flurry of punches then sent Clarke crashing to the mat, and again White refused to follow. Clarke got up and again tried to get the fight to the ground with a single leg, but White was able to stifle the takedown again.
One last series of strikes sent Clarke reeling to the mat again, and this time the ref intervened, stopping the fight and awarding a TKO to White. Clarke immediately indicated he wanted to say something after the winner's interview, and the thought of him retiring went suddenly from a possibility to a probability.
Clarke calls it a career
In the interview that followed, Clarke was lauded for his toughness by commentator Joe Rogan. A tearful Clarke, cradling an obviously injured left hand, replied, "I think that toughness has been the tale of my career...and pushing me beyond what my body is physically capable to do, it's sheer will and toughness."
"It was an absolute pleasure to fight in front of my adopted hometown of Edmonton," Clarke continued, as the crowd roared their gratitude for one more gritty performance in a career defined by them. "And although I did not get the result I wanted, it was an absolute pleasure to have my last professional fight here in Edmonton."
"That's the last time I'm going to put these on, so thank you Edmonton," he concluded, laying his gloves down ceremoniously on the mat of the cage.
I'm sorry to all my fans, wasn't the result I wanted but I wanted to go out on my shield. It hurts my heart to leave
—@MitchClarkeMMACont) but this is where my heart is headed and you can't half ass this sport. I did more than was expected of me and wish I could give more
—@MitchClarkeMMATo the people who feel it's necessary to tell me I suck right after my fight, you know nothing of sacrifice to follow your dreams .
—@MitchClarkeMMAClarke immediately went to the hospital following his bout to have his hand treated and the other accumulated damage assessed.
He wasn't too injured to lash out at critics who assailed him via social media, he took to Twitter saying, "To the people who feel it's necessary to tell me I suck right after my fight, you know nothing of sacrifice to follow your dreams."