2022 PFL Finalist Steven Ray Announces Retirement for Second Time

Steven
Ray hinted that once his run in the 2023 Professional Fighters
League season was done, he’d call it a career.

“Braveheart” recently made good on that promise, announcing his
retirement via Instagram over the weekend.

“Fourteen years of service done. Time to pass on my knowledge and
experience,” Ray wrote.

The 33-year-old Scotland native fought for the last time at PFL 6
this past Friday, when he suffered a second-round technical
knockout loss to Clay
Collard. Had he advanced to the postseason, Ray would have
continued for at least one more fight.

Ray
initialy announced his retirement in 2020 following a 7-4 stint
with the UFC, citing chronic knee issues as the reason for his
exit. He returned with the PFL in 2022, earning a pair of victories
over ex-UFC champ Anthony
Pettis before falling to Olivier
Aubin-Mercier in the lightweight final.

A former Cage Warriors lightweight champion, Ray ends his career
with a 25-13 record that includes other notable victories against
the likes of Michael
Johnson, Joe Lauzon and
Ross
Pearson.

In retirement, Ray plans to give seminars and coach at his gym,
Braveheart MMA. During a recent PFL media day prior to his last
fight, Ray reflected on how he’d like his time in the sport to be
remembered.

“I always came to fight. I always tried to make it exciting. I
always showed a lot of heart,” he said. “A lot of people that know
my whole story know why I fight, the biggest reason is to provide
for my family. I’d like people to remember me as a hard worker,
that did what needs to be done.”