Efter en 19 år lång karriär, och 127 matcher, har den en numera 54 år gamla MMA-legenden Dan Severn officiellt gått i pension, meddelar han via sin webbsida idag.
Severn påbörjade sin karriär 1994 på UFC 4, när han var 37 år. Han gick igenom de två första matcherna i turneringen som de höll på den tiden, och i finalen fick han sedan möta Royce Gracie. Det var en match han i slutändan förlorade, men efter tre matcher på en och samma kväll så hade hans MMA-karriär startat.
Totalt sett så lämnar Severn nu en karriär uppdelat på 101 vinster, 19 förluster och sju oavgjorda matcher bakom sig och blickar istället framåt i tiden. Här nedan följer hans pensionsbrev:
Happy New Year to all. The year has come to an end. It is usually during the week of Christmas, and New Years that I am the slowest. It gives me time to reflect, and take a look at the goals I set for this past year, to see how I did, and to look at adding any new goals for the up-coming year.
I Will No Longer Be Stepping Into the Cage as a Competitor.
The number one goal that I set for myself in 2012 was to be finished with my Mix Martial Arts Competition career. I was attempting to do my own self-directed retirement tour in the last couple of years reaching out to only three people… Mark Coleman, Ken Shamrock, and Royce Gracie. I spoke to two of them directly (Mark, and Ken), and through representative (MGR) for Royce. It seems as though these matches will not take place for whatever reason and my life goes on to the next chapter.
I will stay involved with MMA working with various companies to support the industry, and help to take it to the next level in roles such as: Play by play color commentator, Commissioner, Goodwil Ambassador, doing appearances etc, etc… just no longer the competitor. The MMA Workshops and seminars will continiue. I have a ot of fun with them and enjoy the interaction with young competitors as they are just commencing their careers especially when they learn a new technique, or competition tactics, and seeing the excitement in their eyes, and hearing it in their voice.
2013 will be my final year in Professional Wrestling as a performar. So Promotors be warned. If you have been thinking about utilizing my skills as a performer, contact me and we’ll make it happen in thus upcoming year. I will continiue just like in MMA to be involved in it, teaching it, running shows, doing appearances and such, just no longer the entertainer.
Instruction… Instruction… Instruction
I will put fourth more time and energy into Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Military Defensive Tactics, or hand to hand combat training. I enjoy teaching, and I especially like knowing that skills that I have acquired through a life of competition, can now be used in so many areas of good. That will keep people safe, and may even save a life.
I will be re-opening Michigan Sports Camp Training Facility in Coldwater, Michigan in April. It will have additional days and time for athletes to hone their skills. It has been dubbed the ”House of Champs” for the area. I want to give it more recognition, and create additional Champions, so that one day people will just wonder ”How do they do it… year after year. There are no trade secrets. Just rare people, who are willing to do all the hard work, and make sacrifices. ’As long as I can surround like minded people with other like minded peple……the cream will rise to the top!!!!
Other irons that I will be either throing on the fire or just re-stocking the embers will be 1) Public Speaking. I have done a number of Speaking engagements in the past. I want to hone my skills and make an even bigger impact.
2) Writing a book. People enjoy the stories I tell of my past and say all the time that ”You should write a book”. I have hundreds of pages or notes of things I have done. Just need to put them in some sort of order, and go from there.
3) Re-connecting and spending more time with family. I have had a life with so much success but not without its cost. That cost was family time. The past couple of years I have tried to spend more time with family, and will continiue to do so.
It has been difficult to juggle so many different parts of my career, but that is when oppertunity presented itself… such ass my MMA career beginning at the age of 37, and now ending at age 54. Father Time is telling me, it is time to let go. I have learned over time, that the only constant factor is change. It will happen, and there is nothing we can do to stop it, so smile, hold on, and embrace it for all that it has to offer and hopefully you will too have the ride of your life!!!! Happy new year!!!!!
All the Best, from the Beast!
Dan Severn
