After a certain point, most fighters realize that their time inside the cage has come to an end. However, for some MMA fighters, it takes a few attempts. UFC flyweight veteran Matt Schnell falls into the latter category. Following a crushing first-round knockout loss to up-and-coming contender Alessandro Costa at UFC Vegas 118 this past week, the 36-year-old has announced his retirement for the second time.

Taking to social media, Schnell penned a heartfelt letter to the sport, his family members, UFC brass, and the fans, confirming that his long-standing MMA career has finally reached its conclusion.

“Never made an excuse,” Schnell wrote on Instagram. “Never took a shortcut. Never leveraged my relationships. Always with dignity. So grateful for the journey. Everything in this world I have, I owe to fighting. And it didn’t come without a cost. I’ve left more than a piece of myself within the walls of that octagon. And I would do it again. I believe it’s time to move on to the next step in my journey. Thank you to my friends and family for all the years of support and encouragement.

“To my wife and children, Dad always erred in order to provide. To the Maynards and the @ufc, you changed my life. Now I rest and advocate for the next generation. I believe my experiences have positioned me uniquely to give back to this sport and my region’s fighters. I intend to do just that. ⚠️🇺🇸 #DaddyDanger #FatherOfThree.”

While it’s a somber admission for the “Danger,” the fact that he had five losses in six fights likely contributed to his decision to step down from competing. Though the decision to retire from the sport is always difficult for an athlete, the UFC veteran had previously made the same call not too long ago. Schnell famously laid down his gloves after losing to Cody Durden in September 2024, publicly declaring his retirement. However, the 36-year-old’s retirement turned out to be short-lived.

Schnell’s loss against Durden had at the time marked his fourth defeat in five fights. As a result, the Louisiana-based fighter thought the UFC would eventually cut him, so he chose to retire before the promotion could make that call to cut him. To his surprise, though, the UFC didn’t cut him, and Schnell ended up fighting three more times. He defeated Jimmy Flick in an impressive showdown in April 2025, but later dropped two more fights before ultimately ending his journey.

Matt Schnell definitely carried plenty of potential as an MMA fighter. The former UFC flyweight was the Legacy FC interim flyweight champion in the early 2010s and got his UFC break by fighting under Team Henry Cejudo on The Ultimate Fighter Season 24 in 2016. However, he lost the chance to face UFC legend Demetrious Johnson after Tim Elliott defeated him in the quarterfinals.

Despite the setback, Schnell went on to face divisional greats like Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and even former champion Alexandre Pantoja. But his overall UFC run turned out to be lackluster, as he amassed a 7-9 record under Dana White’s banner and a 17-11 overall MMA record. Even though the UFC veteran may not have fully lived up to expectations, there is no doubt about his credibility as a fan-favorite fighter.

Schnell now finds himself in a rare club with Henry Cejudo, Jose Aldo, and others who’ve retired twice in the UFC. For that reason, the UFC world congratulated him following his retirement.

UFC world pays tribute as Matt Schnell retires from MMA 

After Matt Schnell announced his second retirement, the UFC world gathered to pay tribute to his contributions inside the Octagon. In his social media post, he credited UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard for changing his life. Well, Maynard decided to return the gesture by sharing some heartfelt words of his own.

“Congrats on an incredible career brother,” Maynard posted on social media, as per Heavy.com. “You brought it Every. Single. Time.”

After that, former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno chimed in and expressed gratitude to the UFC veteran for helping him during the early days of his UFC journey.

“You’re a warrior brother, thanks for all the help you gave me in the past, amazing person,” Moreno wrote.

For those who don’t know, Brandon Moreno and Matt Schnell were part of TUF Season 24, with Moreno being on Team Benavidez. From there, the two UFC flyweights sparred on multiple occasions and were also part of each other’s training camps.

Lastly, flyweight contender Kai Kara-France wrote, “Excited to see what’s next for you, bro. Enjoy the family time.”

Well, the UFC veteran has expressed that he is still eager to contribute to the MMA world. So, after ending his career as a professional fighter, Schnell could definitely help coach the next generation and assist them in paving their path to the UFC. Also, who knows? We might see him clashing in freestyle grappling matches under RAF or some other banner too.