Sherdog’s Top 10: Post-Fight Interviews and Moments

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8. Good and ‘Little Evil’

Jens Pulver vs. Javier Vazquez
WEC 47 “Bowles vs. Cruz”
March 6, 2010 | Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio

Saying goodbye can be difficult, especially in a sport where the appearance of Father Time can be so cruel and sudden. When Pulver bid the fans a teary-eyed farewell following his first-round submission defeat to Vazquez, it truly seemed like the man who was the UFC’s first lightweight champion was really done. After all, it was the fifth consecutive loss for “Little Evil” dating back to WEC 34, when he dropped a five-round verdict to Urijah Faber that was a landmark event for fighters below 155 pounds. Each setback since that one had come inside of a round, and Pulver seemed to sense that it was time.

“I don’t know how many times I can cry in front of you. I love you all way too much to keep putting you through this,” Pulver said.

When pressed as to whether or not it was an official retirement announcement, Pulver offered no guarantees.

“I’ll never say that [it is over], but I love you all way, way, way too much to put you all through this again,” he said. “You guys have made my life a miracle. I don’t make a lot of money at this ... you’re the only reason I’ve done this from Day One. [UFC President] Dana White, you gave me that second chance, I apologize. You gave me my first chance, my third chance, you’ve made everything for me, sir. Dana, I love you, brother, and I appreciate you.”

There was a lot love going around the Nationwide Arena that night, but it turned out to be far from Pulver’s last fight. Since then, he has fought seven times, proving that a love of caged combat dies hard.

Continue Reading » No Mercy