In surprising news, a former TUF contender and female UFC star has chosen to retire from MMA altogether. In an Instagram post, the fighter revealed the struggles that led to her taking the difficult decision. Owing to these struggles she was away from the octagon for three years before making her comeback in late 2021. The 30-year-old penned a long Instagram post detailing her love for martial arts and why she had to take the decision.

Read on to find out more about this athlete and the reasons behind her retirement.

Leah Letson announces her retirement on Instagram

Leah Letson announced her retirement from MMA via her Instagram, leaving quite a few in disbelief. The former TUF contender had recently fought and lost to Felicia Spencer back in November 2021. This fight marked her return to the cage after a gap of almost three years. In her post, Letson penned down the physical and emotional struggles of a fighter, giving fans a glimpse of the lifestyle. She was a part of Robert Whittaker‘s team during TUF 28.

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Although she announced it with a sense of disappointment, she also pointed out her gratitude for her career.

“It is with mixed emotions I am announcing my official #retirement from MMA. Although it is somewhat sad to say goodbye to the sport that has been a part of me for so long, it is something that I have been thinking about for a while, and know I need to do. I have accomplished what I set out to accomplish: I made it to the biggest #MMA stage in the world with the #UFC. I was even able to compete on The Ultimate Fighter show. At my peak, I was ranked #9 in the world and I am proud to have had a successful career.” Her post read.

The 30-year-old also talked about the emotional abuse and health issues she had to face. She writes, ”After years of over-training, under-eating, and enduring emotional abuse, I developed such severe health issues that I almost died.”

Ultimately, she thanked her fans for being her support. “ I want to thank all of my dedicated fans that have supported me for so long. I hope that you continue to follow me and my story. I know God has great plans for me!”

Recap of Leah Letson’s career in the UFC

Letson started her relationship with UFC during the TUF 28 season, where she was a part of Team Whittaker. She ended up losing to Macy Chiasson in the semi-finals of the season. After this loss, she picked up her next win in the Finale of the season, beating Julija Stoliarenko.

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Injuries kept her sidelined for almost three years until November 2021, when she faced Felicia Spencer. This fight, unfortunately, ended in a loss for her after which she recently announced her retirement.

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Letson clearly had a good season during TUF 28. Her previous best raking of number nine in the Women’s Featherweight is a clear representation of her fighting skills. Although she has decided to hang up her gloves, fans can still hope she contributes to the sport in a different form.