Former UFC lightweight contender and Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks have possibly concluded his 30-fight-long MMA career. Ill has been last seen at the Titans 81 promotion where he dominated his opponent Jhonasky Sojo and secured a third-round victory via rear naked choke that also marked his fifth straight victory inside the octagon.
Will Brooks dominates Jhonasky Sojo on his way to a third round RNC in the Titan FC main event. 5th straight win for Ill Will. #TitanFC81 pic.twitter.com/Gr6L3cp5N6
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) April 15, 2023
Brooks’ six-fight contract with the UFC was revealed on June 15, 2016. On July 8, 2016, at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale, he faced off in his first promotional matchup against Ross Pearson and won the fight via unanimous decision. Ill’s career in the UFC never really picked up the pace as after his debut victory he lost three straight fights and was subsequently released from the UFC.
Ill has been agitating for a chance to return to the UFC or a significant organization for one final run for the past few years. Fans appeared to think the moment may have come after another victory. However, Will, 36, took off his gloves for his post-fight interview and gave a moving address to the fans, which appeared to be his last moments inside the MMA cage.
After the fight he said, “Tonight, I think God was trying to move into my life to let me know that this was it and I should’ve been done,” Brooks said. “I’m extremely stubborn and he knows that, but I came out here, I gave it everything I had and it just didn’t feel like I had it.”
Will Brooks’ major career achievements
Although Brooks didn’t succeed in the UFC, he had a great career outside of it. Widely considered as one of the major mysteries in MMA, Brooks became the lightweight champion in Bellator, an organization at par with the UFC in competition.
One of the biggest victories of his career came against current UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler whom he beat twice at Bellator in 2014. Will defeated one of the best lightweights in the world at the moment via TKO and claimed the vacant Bellator lightweight title. A few months before that fight Brooks had defeated Chandler via split decision. After claiming the title, Brooks went on to defend it thrice before joining the UFC in 2016.
