Brendan Schaub insists that he’s pretty much done with fighting.
The former UFC heavyweight hasn’t fought since receiving a beatdown from Travis Browne at UFC 281 in December 2014.
A few days after the loss, Schaub appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast and was subjected to an impromptu ‘intervention’ from the UFC commenator, who is a long-time friend.
‘Big Brown’ quit fighting and became a podcaster. A decade later, he had not really thought about making a comeback until recently, when a ridiculous amount of money was put on the table just before he began feuding with Nate Diaz.
Brendan Schaub reveals attempt to get him out of retirement
Schaub has been working as a commentator for Jorge Masvidal’s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA, but the boss wanted to see him back in the cage.
An amount of money was agreed upon, and it made the 41-year-old seriously consider making a return, but ultimately, he decided against it for various reasons.
“We had Jorge Masvidal and his manager Dean [Toole] on, and I work for them now doing commentating but that’s how that came about. They offered me a fight,” Schaub told MMA Fighting.
““I’m like bare-knuckle MMA?’ They’re like, ‘Yeah’. I was like, ‘You don’t have enough money, there’s no way’. He goes, ‘Give us a number.’
“I gave them an outlandish number and he was like dead serious, just looked me in the eye and goes ‘OK.’ I’m like, ‘What?’
“For a second I’m like, ‘S***!’ I’ll just hit the road now get some road work in now, let’s get going, that’s an insane amount of money.
“I just can’t force myself to do it. At 41, my kids, I can’t take another blow to the head. I’m good. I don’t need to be Elon Musk or [Donald] ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone rich. I’m good. I’m good where I’m at.”
Brendan Schaub reveals list of opponents he’d face
The paycheck from Masvidal was so big that it would’ve meant the opponent would be the toughest they can find, and that was enough to turn Schaub off the idea.
After getting knocked out four times in his 10-5 MMA career, the American heavyweight has no interest in taking shots from the sport’s best big men.
However, he’d be happy to return for a fight with big-name YouTuber’s.
Schaub added: “They’re like, ‘For that number you’re going to have to fight [Junior dos Santos] or Derrick Lewis.’ “I’m like, ‘No, hard pass. I don’t need those problems.’”
“It’s a shame I’m so big. Because if a Logan Paul or a Jake Paul came about or a KSI, sign me up! When you’re talking about the [Junior dos Santos] and Derrick Lewis’ of the world? Hell no.
“Now some YouTuber? I’ll play ball there and make all the money and get the views. To fight these actual killers? It ain’t happening. I’ve got kids.”
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