Brad “One Punch” Pickett stepped into the octagon on Saturday night knowing that win or lose, he was going to retire after the bout.
Things couldn’t have went better for Brad in the first two rounds, he was using his wrestling and striking well, and was likely two rounds up going into the third round.
The third round started, and Vera was landing more than he had in the first two. Vera may have been winning the round, but the general consensus was that Pickett was going to go out on a win.
With less than one minute left, Pickett looked comfortable, and looked on his way to a win. Then, the arena was silenced. Vera cracked “One Punch” with a head kick and the Englishman went down. A few hammer fists later and the referee stepped in.
Pickett jumped up straight away, and although unsteady on his feet, contested the stoppage. After a few seconds, it sank in, and he accepted it. Walking over to a corner of the octagon and sitting down in tears, Pickett was joined by his corner men.
Let’s forget about his record, his last few fights, and everything else; Pickett leaves mixed martial arts with a massive, and loyal fan base.
