There was a time Mark Godbeer wasn’t expected to ever fight for the UFC, and that time was not too long ago.
That was when Godbeer suddenly retired last December. At the time, he was booked to compete in the Rizin FF heavyweight Grand Prix tournament at the end of 2015. He suffered an undisclosed injury, was forced out of the tournament, where he would have faced Muhammed Lawal in the quarterfinals, and subsequently stepped away from mixed martial arts.
That wasn’t the first time Godbeer had suffered an injury, but his most recent injury, however, appeared to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Godbeer retired as the BAMMA heavyweight champion.
It wasn’t just the injuries, though. Godbeer had many other issues with the sport, all of which led to his retirement. He was very unhappy with fighter pay and felt underappreciated.
“I’m retiring from MMA. I’ve said this before but this time it’s for real,” Godbeer said in a statement last December (via MMAMad.com). “The truth of the matter is this it has come at a massive financial cost. I have laid out thousands in training fees, lessons, private tuition and fought some of the best in the world at a loss. I’ve been ripped off by management companies, lied to, and can no longer deal with the falseness the MMA world is surrounded by. Fighters get f-ck all for what we put our body through.”
Godbeer’s retirement didn’t last long. After a few months on the sidelines, his financial issues were mostly sorted out — he switched management companies in July; he’s now with Duello Sports Mangement — and he realized his gas tank wasn’t empty.
In May, he returned to action at BAMMA 25, and successfully defended his heavyweight belt versus the promotion’s then-interim champ.
Godbeer recently received the news he has been waiting for for his entire career. He was signed by the UFC in September and will fight Justin Ledet at UFC Fight Night 99 in Belfast, Northern Ireland next month.
“I had time to sit back re-evaluate the situation, get my finances in place, let injuries heal,” Godbeer told BloodyElbow.com. “I just wasn’t done. I feel like I’m just coming into my own and have yet to peak. It was a rash decision that was forced rather than made through choice. I came back after a short break financially stable and physically fit and knocked out one of the top UK guys. My journey is not over just yet. It’s just beginning.
“I’m so glad I made my return. Like I said, it wasn’t a choice at the time. I had to get myself stable. Once I was, it was back to business. This game can be tough, especially just before a breakthrough like the UFC. Now, it’s about looking forward and collecting fight bonuses. I’m a bonus-hunting man. Give me some dollar.”
Godbeer, one of the top United Kingdom prospects, hopes to add his own sprinkle to the heavyweight division, which has been widely regarded as one of the shallowest divisions in the UFC for a long time.
He gets the chance to do so in less than 30 days.