UFC lightweight Aaron Riley announced his retirement on Twitter following his split decision lost to Justin Salas on the UFC on FOX 8 preliminary card on Facebook.
“Fight my last MMA fight tonight,” Riley wrote on Twitter. “It’s been fun but after 16 years I’m calling it good. Thanks to everyone who ever supported my career.”
Riley (30-14-1) entered mixed martial arts in 1997 and competed in the UFC, Pride, and the IFL. He opened his career by winning 10 of 11 fights and all of the wins coming by stoppage.
He originally entered the UFC in 2002 and lost his debut to Robbie Lawler by unanimous decision at UFC 37.
After losing his debut in the UFC, he left the company and won seven of his next eight fights before returing to the organization at UFC Fight Night 3 in 2006.
His second stint with the UFC would only last one fight as he lost to Spencer Fisher by TKO and after a three fight winning streak in 2008, he returned at UFC 91. In his third stint with the organization, he won two of his first three fights including a fight of the night against Jorge Gurgel.
However, he lost three of next four fights including back to back defeats against Tony Ferguson at UFC 135 in 2011 and at UFC on FOX 8 against Salas. He will leave the sport with 30 career wins with 14 of those wins coming by submission and 5 wins by knockout.