UFC veteran Darren Elkins in awe of his MMA longevity: 'I never thought I'd be 40 and still doing this'
LAS VEGAS – At 40, Darren Elkins is still racking up wins in the premiere MMA promotion on the planet. Elkins has not only impressed fans with his longevity, but he’s also impressed himself.
“When I was the young me, the young, beginning UFC Darren, I’d always make fun of the old guys,” Elkins said at a post-fight news conference. “‘Oh this old guy still messing with them,’ and calling them old guys. I never thought I’d be 40 and still doing this, but man, am I glad I am.”
Elkins (29-11 MMA, 19-10 UFC) completed his 29th UFC performance this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 245. He defeated veteran Daniel Pineda (28-17 MMA, 5-8 UFC) in a hard-fought unanimous decision win that won him a Fight of the Night bonus.
This was also his first fight in 2024. With almost two decades of professional fighting, the once very active UFC featherweight is content with this current pace at this stage in his career.
“I don’t like to go any more than two (fights),” Elkins said. “I had one last year and one this year. Last year I got hurt, this year I got hurt, I mean, which is fine. Both times I came back when ,my body was recovered, so one of two fights (a year). I shoot for two, but if I don’t get two, one is OK, too in my life. Now, I don’t have to be the guy that’s fighting every weekend anymore.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.