UFC Vegas 120 is set to take place this weekend at the Meta Apex, and one of the sport’s most seasoned veterans is preparing to call time on his long MMA career. After 41 professional MMA fights (29-12) and more than 16 years inside the UFC Octagon alone, Darren Elkins has revealed that his bout against Yadier del Valle will be his last, bringing to an end an illustrious MMA career.

During UFC Vegas 120 media day, a reporter asked Elkins whether his upcoming fight would be “the last dance.” In response, the 42-year-old featherweight star confirmed that the bout would indeed be the final fight of his career, confessing that he had been contemplating retirement for quite some time now.

“This is it, brother,” Elkins said. “I’m older now, but mostly I’m starting to get hurt a little more often. Training all the time is taking more of a toll on my body than it used to, so it’s time. I’ve been contemplating it for a while. I talked to my family and worked everything out. I thought, ‘You know what? I’ve always wanted to lay my gloves down in the Octagon and do it the way most people don’t get the chance to.’

“They either get cut or have to announce their retirement on social media or something like that. I wanted to be in the moment, lay my gloves down, and ride off into the sunset.”

For ‘The Damage,’ who has been competing in the UFC since March 2010, retirement at the very promotion where he spent the majority of his career feels like a fitting fairytale ending. Although he never challenged for the title, Elkins put together an impressive run in the featherweight division, one that fans will undoubtedly cherish after he officially retires at UFC Vegas 120.

During his 16 years inside Dana White’s promotion, the Indiana native has faced almost every notable name in the featherweight division. After earning a solid victory over Duane Ludwig in his debut, Elkins squared off against former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in just his second UFC fight. Although he suffered a first-round armbar submission loss against ‘Do Bronxs’, the defeat lit a fire within ‘The Damage’ as he responded by winning five consecutive fights, defeating the likes of Diego Brandão and Antonio Carvalho.

Following that run, the 42-year-old’s career became somewhat inconsistent, with victories often followed by defeats. However, Elkins enjoyed another impressive stretch from 2015 to 2018, winning six consecutive bouts against respected veterans such as Mirsad Bektić and Michael Johnson. His winning streak eventually came to an end when Alexander Volkanovski defeated him at UFC Fight Night 133, after which Elkins dropped three straight fights.

The seasoned veteran eventually bounced back, although he was never able to put together another extended winning streak. Even so, Elkins kept his record respectable, winning three of his last five bouts. He currently holds a 19-11 UFC record across his 30 fights in the promotion, an achievement that speaks volumes about his longevity and consistency. At UFC Vegas 120, however, that record will change for the final time under the UFC banner. Still, he will not be the only veteran to retire this month.

Former UFC women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg is also set to ride off into the sunset, bringing her illustrious career to a close at PFL Tampa on August 22. Still, before her, it will be Elkins who lays down his gloves, and ahead of his farewell, the veteran reflected on the defining moment of his career.

Darren Elkins reveals the highlight moment before UFC retirement

Throughout his long UFC career, Darren Elkins has been involved in countless memorable battles. However, he believes his three-round war against Mirsad Bektić at UFC 209 stands above every other moment he experienced inside the Octagon.

“Obviously, the fight I’m most known for is the Bektic fight, right?” Elkins stated at UFC media day. “I learned a lot about myself. I always knew I could dig deep. But how deep? How much I could dig? How tough I really was? Just coming back and knocking him out like that. That was a huge moment for me.”

At UFC 209, Elkins pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history. Bektić dominated him for two rounds, and it seemed as though ‘The Damage’ had no chance of turning the tide. However, the 42-year-old found one final surge in the third round, landing heavy right hands before finishing the fight with a perfectly timed head kick. Remarkably, Elkins entered the bout as a -545 underdog, making the victory even more astonishing. So, it is no surprise that he considers it the defining moment of his UFC career.

Now, with one final walk to the Octagon remaining, Darren Elkins has the rare opportunity to end his career exactly the way he hoped, inside the UFC, on his own terms, and with the chance to leave his gloves in the center of the cage.