It’s been almost 5 years since Joe Lauzon final competed within the UFC, and there’s an excellent probability his win over Jonathan Pearce will stand as the ultimate battle of his profession.
However he’s nonetheless not retiring.
Reality be advised, Lauzon hasn’t been enthusiastic about staying lively along with his preventing profession since he turned extra of his give attention to elevating a household and constructing his gymnasium in New England. He was really booked to battle three separate instances in 2022 towards Donald Cerrone, however a myriad of accidents and sicknesses in the end compelled UFC to scrap the matchup.
Lauzon ultimately recommended a battle towards Chase Hooper, however UFC handed and he’s remained on the sidelines ever since. Which may make it sound like Lauzon actually needs to battle and the UFC isn’t , however that couldn’t be farther from the reality.
“I perceive them not wanting the Chase Hooper factor as a result of that may be a fairly good matchup for me and that could be the final battle I’d need to do,” Lauzon advised MMA Preventing. “It could type of be the identical. I’d have that battle, whether or not I win good or not, I’d type of be in the identical place I’m in now. Possibly I’ll battle once more if one thing is sensible and possibly I’m executed.
“It doesn’t make lots of sense for them to go and provides me a matchup that’s favorable to me, and I’m not going to take a matchup that’s not favorable for me. So I’m simply type of caught, I assume. I’m completely advantageous with it. The UFC’s been nice to me. I’m not upset. I don’t really feel like I’m caught, like I’m locked or something.”
Lauzon celebrated his fortieth birthday this previous Might, however age has by no means been a defining issue with regards to whether or not or not he fights once more. Fairly, it comes all the way down to timing and alternative, and if these two components don’t line up, then Lauzon has no drawback hanging out in limbo.
As time passes and his inactivity grows, Lauzon admits there’s an excellent probability he’s already fought within the UFC for the ultimate time, however he refuses to place that last nail within the coffin of his battle profession.
“It’s in all probability seemingly that I gained’t battle once more, however I hate when folks say they go and retire,” Lauzon mentioned. “As a result of what number of instances do folks retire, they are saying they’re retired, and the subsequent factor you already know, they’re introduced on a card six months or a yr later, or no matter it’s going to be.
“I’m nonetheless coaching on a regular basis. I’m nonetheless serving to guys prepare for fights. I’m nonetheless working my gymnasium. In the event that they got here and provided me one thing with ample time, I do know I might get again in good condition actually fast and I’d be good to go.”
Make no mistake, Lauzon loves preventing, however his priorities have modified and a thriving enterprise exterior UFC has stored him loads busy these previous few years. With plans to broaden and open extra gyms down the highway, Lauzon proudly touts robust numbers at his flagship location, with 400 members at present taking varied courses from Brazilian jiu-jitsu to kickboxing and even no-gi grappling.
Lauzon opening his gymnasium a number of years in the past was a part of his long-term plan to all the time give himself choices as soon as preventing was over. In contrast to many athletes who rely upon UFC to supply a gentle revenue, Lauzon most popular to make use of preventing as a way to keep up monetary safety whereas constructing a enterprise that didn’t depend on him setting foot in a cage.
“From the very starting, I had my first battle within the UFC and I assumed that would have been it,” Lauzon mentioned. “Once I fought Jens Pulver, that would have been a one and executed and we’re simply over. I’ve been very lucky that was by no means chasing the subsequent battle to pay my payments. I’ve a pc science diploma, so I used to be working at my co-op once I was preparing for Jens Pulver for my first battle, after which I principally took per week off of labor and I went and I fought, and I went again to work on Monday and I continued to work.
“Then I went on The Final Fighter and I took a go away of absence for like two months after which I went again to work. So I all the time type of had just a little little bit of a nest egg, an overflow just a little little bit of protecting bills, issues like that. As I had all my totally different fights, I used to be type of doing the identical factor. I used to be all the time simply constructing a reserve, preserving that reserve up, after which time goes on and it will get just a little smaller, however you then battle once more and it will get it again up.”
Whereas Lauzon doesn’t have all of the solutions, the 43-fight veteran acknowledges that extra athletes want to consider long-term planning, as a result of competing within the UFC can’t final ceaselessly. He acknowledged that earlier than his first battle within the UFC and Lauzon has been ready for the inevitable finish of his profession ever since.
“I believe lots of fighters, they don’t begin from that stronger place in order that they need to take this battle subsequent month as a result of they should pay their payments,” Lauzon mentioned. “They should pay their bills, they’ve bought to pay stuff.
“I’ve all the time been forward of the sport just a little bit, so I believe simply because I began in a greater place, I used to be in a position to preserve that going.”
