UFC 299 competitor Joanne Wood decided it was better to go out on top.
Wood kicked off the event Saturday night with a split decision over Maryna Moroz live on ESPN from Miami, Florida. Shortly after, she announced her retirement from the sport.
Related: UFC Results: All the fight results and highlights from UFC 299
Wood, a 38-year-old from Scotland, made her MMA debut back in 2012. She won her first nine professional fights and was part of the epic season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2014 that ushered in female fighters.
“It sure is my last fight,” Wood told BBC Scotland. “I want to retire on a good note and feeling good. I feel like when you know you know, so it is definitely going to be my last fight in the Octagon.
“I don’t want to be going out there and not having the skill, that fight in me. I have still got all those things, so I want to retire on that note. I don’t want to be forcing myself to do this.”
After besting Emily Kagan on the reality series, she lost to Rose Namajunas in the quarterfinals. Wood, though, with several quality wins to her resume, was part of the season finale.
She posted a decision over Ham Seo-hee before suffering her first loss in 2015 to Moroz. Wood would go 6-4 over her next 10 fights before three consecutive losses between 2021-22.
In March of last year, she scored a split decision over Luana Carolina for her first win in two years in London, England. Wood avenged that first loss vs. Moroz by besting her in the last fight of her career.
“I love the fight,” Wood said. “I didn’t ask for this fight but I feel this is a full-circle moment.
UFC 299: Joanne Wood Going Out On Her Terms
Wood was able to get one back on Moroz all these years later. And it came at the perfect time.
With nine wins among her 17 UFC fights, Wood was one of the more consistent fighter in the female ranks. She has some key wins on her resume and always seemed to be in battles until the very end.
