Nick Newell, one of the most inspiring fighters ever, is coming out of retirement.
Two years after announcing he was bowing out of MMA, Nick Newell is coming back to the cage.
Newell was born with a congenital amputation of his left arm which means it ends just below his elbow. However, he hasn’t let that limit him. Despite only being able to make one fist, the man has enjoyed huge success in combat sports in college wrestling and professional MMA.
“Notorious” holds an impressive 13-1 record, with two of those wins coming by knockout and eight via submission. He amassed an 8-0 record before being granted an XFC lightweight title shot against Eric Reynolds in 2012. He forced the tap in the first-round with a rear-naked choke to claim the belt and secure a spot in WSOF.
The most high-profile fight of Newell’s career came in 2014 when he took on then-undefeated WSOF champion and current undefeated UFC star Justin Gaethje. Newell was finished via second round
Gaehje got the victory via second round TKO, but Newell was far from embarrassed by the elite lightweight. The referee also let Gaethje away with several illegal knees in the bout.
Newell rebounded with two more wins under the WSOF banner against Joe Condon and Tom Marcellino respectively. He abruptly announced his retirement after beating the latter to a unanimous decision, claiming that injuries had taken their toll on his body.
