Six months ago, UFC veteran Niko Price retired from the sport after Michael Chiesa handed him the fourth consecutive loss of his career. However, many were caught by surprise when Price’s name surfaced against Leon Shahbazyan for the October 10 Fight Night event at the Apex. Putting any confusion to rest, ‘The Hybrid’ confirmed that his next fight would be his last.

In a recent interview with Home of Fight, Price revealed that the UFC reached out to him for one more fight, and he simply couldn’t turn it down.

“And I was like, ‘Heck yeah, that sounds fun,'” Price said. “I’ll take another fight. I’m feeling pretty accomplished in my career. So, okay, I’m gonna end it. I’m gonna end it with this one. Hey, yeah. If a golden nugget comes up, you can’t turn down a golden nugget. Simple as that.”

Price’s words confirmed that the UFC seemingly paid a substantial sum to lure him out of retirement one more time. But at 37 years old and on a four-fight losing streak, the time seems perfect for the UFC veteran to hang up his gloves for good.

For two years, Price has been searching for a win inside the Octagon. The last time he tasted victory was when he beat Alex Morono via decision at UFC 302 in June 2024. Since then, ‘The Hybrid’ has dropped four straight against Themba Gorimbo, Jacobe Smith, Nikolay Veretennikov, and, most recently, Michael Chiesa, who also retired at UFC Seattle alongside Price.

However, it was not only Price’s four consecutive losses but also the nature of those defeats that influenced his decision to retire. Three of Price’s last 04 defeats came via finishes, which raises questions over the longevity of his career.

Perhaps that reality prompted him to retire for the first time when Chiesa submitted him with a rear-naked choke in 1:03 seconds at UFC Seattle in March. Besides that, Price’s retirement also seemed incomplete because of the peculiar circumstances that surrounded it last time. 

However, the UFC snubbed Price of a retirement speech, which left Price’s last fight an incomplete story. In fact, he didn’t shy away from showing his disdain toward the UFC for not providing a proper send-off. 

“I’m like, ‘Alright, cool.’” Price told Inside Fighting. “Then I’m like, ‘Why am I not getting mic time?’ Then, I was like, ‘Whatever, don’t worry. But can I leave? I don’t want to stay here anymore.’ Then I told my coach because they didn’t even send me off at all. They went to my gloves, and then they took a picture of him with my gloves. I was like, ‘Nooo, I wanted to do that picture with my gloves.’ He has his gloves on in the picture.”

This would be the second time Price announces his retirement from the UFC. However, fighters like Henry Cejudo have retired twice from the promotion before him, which makes the veteran’s situation far from surprising.

After confirming that his fight against Shahbazyan would be his last, Price also revealed the UFC executive who actually pushed him to come out of retirement one final time.  

UFC veteran Niko Price reveals who convinced him to fight one more time  

Shedding further light on how Niko Price ended up taking one more fight, the UFC veteran revealed that it was UFC executive and matchmaker Sean Shelby who convinced him to return, not knowing that he had already retired.

“Well, Shelby told me he wanted to call me and talk to me anyway, because when I told him I retired, that surprised him too, right?” Price added. “And then, yeah, when they called me, I was like, ‘Oh, this is crazy.’ I said, ‘The only way I’m taking another fight is if the UFC comes and literally says, “Here’s a fight if you want it.”‘

“And I was like, and that’s exactly, almost word for word, what Shelby said. Like, ‘We can, we’ll give you a retirement fight if you want.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, of course.’ So, that to me, that was God speaking. So, I was like, ‘Yep, let’s go. One more rodeo.'”

After the UFC failed to provide Price that moment last time, it is fitting that he will finally get the chance to end his decade-long career with a proper speech. However, the 37-year-old’s swan song taking place at the UFC Apex, which is not a crowded venue, would make it less ceremonious. 

Unlike Price, Stephen Thompson is set for a retirement bout in front of a massive crowd at Madison Square Garden at UFC 334 on November 14. 

Even so, there is nothing but well wishes for the seasoned veteran’s future as he announces his retirement for the second time.