"The Beast" Officially Retires From Active MMA Competition

Dan Severn, the ever-versatile and ever-successful amateur wrestler, pro wrestler, and mixed-martial-artist, has said he will no longer compete in the latter, closing the door on a chapter of his life which spans nearly twenty-years.

Severn, who earlier in the year had stopped competing as an amateur wrestler, debuted in the UFC on December 16, 1994 (back in the tournament days of UFC 4), and immediately made a name for himself by quickly finishing his first two opponents and putting quite a scare into legendary Royce Gracie before falling to him in what was then the longest fight in MMA history (fifteen-minutes-forty-nine-seconds).

Severn, 54, had spent the holiday season reflecting on one-hundred-one wins in one-hundred-twenty-seven fights (including a final victory on April 28, 2012), and after recently failing to get a career-closing rematch (and hopefully win) against either Gracie, Mark Coleman, or Ken Shamrock (all three hold victories over him), decided he had nothing left to accomplish and was done.

Severn has also said that this year will be his last as an active pro wrestler, but as he has with amateur wrestling, he expects to still be involved in behind-the-scenes roles (trainer/spokesperson/etc.) in all three sports.

"The Beast," already in the UFC's Hall Of Fame, is one of the few mixed-martial-artists I'd consider a no-brainer for a true HOF. I thank him and wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors. You can keep up with him via his official website.