‘I realize that it’s time to hang up the gloves for good’: Dutch UFC Fighter Stefan Struve Announces Retirement At Age 32

UFC Heavyweight prospect Stefan Struve has decided to hang up his gloves. The fighter announced his departure via social media.

After a career span of more than 15 years, UFC Veteran Stefan Struve announced his retirement from MMA at the age of 32. On Monday, the fighter took to Twitter to disseminate his ultimate decision and revealed that a health scare has been bothering him for a substantial period.

The Skyscraper stated that he is battling an inner ear injury since last year and his recent fight has somewhat reignited the wound. The Dutchman explained his condition in detail via the micro-blogging website.

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Stefan Struve’s Statement

“I was able to take my space and time the last couple of months to overthink this. so this time it really is for good,” Struve said. “I’ve had an inner ear issue I’ve been battling since May last year. I caught a viral infection that has damaged my vestibular system and the hearing nerve in my right ear. After new tests done recently we learned that the vestibular system is not working properly, the first conclusion in May was that it was most likely [Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo].

“Because of this I have also been dealing with vertigo issues, and also loss of hearing and tinnitus, a ringing noise in my ear. After I caught it in May things got a lot better, after a couple rough weeks at first. I was doing good although still experiencing some vertigo and other minor issues but my idea was, especially with the doctors telling me the issues would go away after a while, to just keep going and ignore it until it really was gone completely. Unfortunately during [my most recent] fight some of the issues came back after getting hit flush on the right ear, it was a punch that should not be an issue normally.

“After that fight I was having more issues again and the doctors scheduled new tests. Those, unfortunately for me, took a long time to happen because of the lockdown over here in the Netherlands. After these tests I was told the damage in the ear and the vestibular issues caused by the viral infection I’d been dealing with are most likely permanent. I have no big issues when I’m just doing my everyday things and, or, training on a normal level to be healthy and in shape.

“The extreme intensity I have put my body through in training camp to get ready for fights I can’t do anymore. At this juncture, I realize that it’s time to hang up the gloves for good, and my put my health and family first. I’ve had a long career and battled through multiple injuries, including a broken jaw and my heart condition. Pushing forward and training hard without listening to my body would be asking for real trouble in my opinion.”

Stefan Struve’s UFC Career

The fighter has competed 24 times in the UFC Octagon and was a top heavyweight prospect in his prime. While the title shot always remained elusive, yet the fighter was able to make a mark in history.

The Skyscraper is known for his physical attributes and with a height of 7 feet, he is registered as the tallest fighter in the history of UFC.

Struve last stepped inside the Octagon in October 2020, at UFC 254. He faced Tai Tuivasa at the event and ended up on the losing side. However, with an overall record of 29-13, the fighter will always have an impressive resume to showcase.

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