Peter Sobotta is done with MMA.
The welterweight is coming off his second consecutive loss to Alex Oliveira at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Till and after a 17-year career, Sobotta has officially decided to walk away from the sport for good:
Here is a translation of what Sobotta wrote (Transcript courtesy of fightful.com):
”Verified Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to win tonight. I'm also not particularly well. I broke my right arm early in the fight, my face had to be sewn in four places. I'm not looking for excuses. I was the worse fighter tonight. Not ready to grit your teeth and go forward. Too little pressure, too little courage, too few hits. I could not play my greatest strength because several takedown attempts failed. Oliveira deservedly won. I have to recognize that my path as an active MMA fighter ends after 17 years. I felt that in the ring today. I really love this sport with all my heart and this decision hurts more than any broken bones and ligaments. But I just don't have the toughness, robustness and willingness to take risks to fight at the top. It was a damn wild ride and I am infinitely grateful for the emotions and experiences that I was able to experience. Thanks to EVERYONE who accompanied and supported me.”
The 33-year-old has been fighting professionally since 2004, with his stints going all the way back to Free Fight Championship, Ready2Fight, and MMA Attack. His first run in the UFC started back in 2009; however, Sobotta’s tenure didn’t go well as the welterweight had a winless record of 0 - 3 by the time he was let go in 2010.
After successfully rebounding in various promotions following his stint in UFC, Sobotta made his return to the company in 2014 and managed to win his first two bouts. Ultimately, Sobotta fared better in his second tenure with the company; however, the 33-year-old was unable to get wins over a big names such as Leon Edwards and Alex Oliveira. Sobotta leaves the sport with a record of 17 wins and 7 losses.