Michael McDonald Announces Retirement

Following the second straight fight where he’d walk away from with an injury, 27-year-old Michael McDonald has retired from MMA.

McDonald, who has had five hand surgeries in the past five years, has decided to walk away from MMA following his emphatic stoppage win over Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 202, where he would break his hand again, he felt it was time to walk away.

“This last fight, everything was perfect,” McDonald told ESPN. “This feels good. Most people, when they quit, it’s because they can’t hang. They’ve been beaten out of the sport and their family is sitting them down and asking them to please stop. For me, it’s not a matter of skill or being able to perform, but I’m at a point where the cost is greater than the reward.”

McDonald, who is open about his faith, prayed prior to his win over Dantas, looking for a clear signal if he should continue as a fighter, if it was time to go, his sign would be a quick victory.

“I said, ‘I don’t know if I can even ask for this, but I’m asking you to show me, blatantly, if you want me to quit fighting. And if that is absolutely what you want, can you give me a hole-in-one?'” McDonald said. “Against an amazing opponent like Eduardo Dantas, I know how rare that is.”

The knockout win over Duantas would force a surgery this past August, which would have  the anesthesiologist made an error that has immobilized his left bicep.

“My entire left arm is about half the size of my right arm,” McDonald said. “It’s unusable. I can’t even pick up a cup of water. It’s possible my left bicep never comes back to use.

“I’m exhausted. I’m exhausted of these hand injuries. I’m exhausted of breaking my body in half. I prayed to God and asked if he would tie up my Bellator contract, leave me in good standing with the company, and give me a hole-in-one. I have no question now that God’s plan for the rest of my life is for me to move on.”

Initial Report: ESPN