UFC veteran Jared Gooden announces retirement
Jared Gooden has announced his retirement.
The 34-fight veteran shared the news to social media Monday, putting an end to a 10-year fighting career that included two UFC stints. Gooden, 31, decided to hang up the gloves following a loss to Mahamed Aly at a Shogun Fights event in Hanover, Md., this past Saturday.
Watch Gooden’s announcement below.
Thank you So Much to Everyone! 14 Amazing Years! Time to say Goodbye
— Jared Gooden (@JGNiteTrain23) March 31, 2025
All Luv pic.twitter.com/QCoYxjjYku
“I want to take this time to let everybody know that my time has come,” Gooden said. “I’m walking away from the sport. Thank you to everybody who’s helped me along my journey, to get me to where I have been in life, but to be honest with you guys, I just don’t have the love or the passion I have anymore like I used to when I was younger.”
Gooden added that he wants to focus on raising his daughter in addition to pursuing other projects.
“I’m going to hang up my gloves for now, and I can’t wait to let you guys know what I’m going to do next in life,” Gooden said.
In his two UFC runs, “Nite Train” only managed a couple of wins, going 2-5 with the promotion. He made his UFC debut in 2020, losing to Alan Jouban at UFC 255, then went on to win one of his next three fights, that lone victory being a first-round knockout of Niklas Stoltze.
Gooden departed the UFC in 2021 and later fought his way back to the octagon in 2023. Unfortunately for Gooden, he only managed one win in three outings (a second-round submission of Wellington Turman) before returning to the regional scene.
He retires with an overall pro record of 23-11.