The UFC Vegas 102 fight card on Saturday kicked off with a women’s bantamweight bout between No. 12 ranked Julia Avila and No. 13 ranked Jacqueline Cavalcanti. The bout went the distance with Cavalcanti winning all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards.
Following the loss to Cavalcanti, Avila announced her retirement from fighting. She knew that she was going to hang up the gloves before Saturday and explained her decision.
“I’ve been thinking about this. I remember one time after a hard training session – It was really difficult for me to pick up my daughter. And we just sat down on the ground and cried because I couldn’t lift her up. I was so injured, and I knew it was time then,” Avila said following the UFC 102 loss.
“Taking time away from watching her grow up, just the money, the energy, the time – I just don’t have enough of it. I have to choose between being a mother and being an athlete and her needs far outweigh my dreams,” Avila continued with her daughter sitting in her lap.
Avila made her octagon debut at UFC 239 in July 2019 with a 6-1 record. She won her first two fights with the organization before dropping a decision to Sijara Eubanks. Leading into Saturday’s showdown with Cavalcanti, Avila hadn’t fought in more than two years. The loss on Saturday was her second loss in a row and her third loss in her last four fights. Her record will stand at 9-4.
