Ex-UFC welterweight, new dad Jared Gooden announces MMA retirement

After more than 30 professional fights, including seven in the UFC, welterweight Jared Gooden said it’s time for him to hang up the gloves.

Gooden (23-11) announced his retirement in a social media video in the wake of a reported loss to Mahamed Aly (4-0) this past Saturday at a Shogun Fights event in Maryland. That bout was Gooden’s first after his second release from the UFC, which came after a decision loss this past fall.

“My time has come. I’m walking away from the sport,” Gooden said in the video. “… I just don’t have the love or the passion I had for it anymore, like I did when I was younger. I keep everything pretty private, but me and this amazing woman brought a beautiful baby girl into this world, and my focus is on her now. 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.”

Thank you So Much to Everyone! 14 Amazing Years! Time to say Goodbye
All Luv pic.twitter.com/QCoYxjjYku

— Jared Gooden (@JGNiteTrain23) March 31, 2025

Gooden, 31, worked his way up through the Southeast regional scene starting in 2015 and after an LFA win, he got a shot at Titan FC’s welterweight title against former UFC fighter Michael Graves, but fell short.

In late 2020, though, on a three-fight winning streak, he got the call from the UFC. His first stint in the promotion was a mixed bag. He went 1-3, but the losses were decisions against tough outs Alan Jouban, Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Randy Brown – and the win was a highlight-reel 68-second KO of Niklas Stolze.

Still, he found himself outside the promotion after the loss to Brown, but worked his way back after a 4-1 run.

In early 2023, he took a UFC return fight on three days’ notice. Understandably, he couldn’t hit the welterweight limit against Carlston Harris and lost a decision, plus 30 percent of his purse.

His bounce-back was the only bonus of his UFC career. He picked up an extra $50,000 check for a second-round submission of Wellington Turman in Texas. But 10 months later, after a decision loss to Chidi Njokuani, he once again was outside the UFC. Now he says he’ll step away altogether.

In a little less than 10 years as a pro, Gooden only was stopped twice. But on the flip side, nearly 80 percent of his wins were finishes.