Overview
- Elkins confirmed Wednesday at UFC Vegas 120 media day that his featured bout with Yadier del Valle on Aug. 8 in Las Vegas will be his final professional MMA fight.
- He said growing pain from training, more frequent injuries and talks with his family drove the decision to stop competing in striking fights.
- Elkins explicitly ruled out bare‑knuckle boxing and said he may pursue no‑strike formats such as grappling or RAF‑style events while returning to work outside full‑time fighting.
- Del Valle called it an honor to face Elkins in his last fight and promised an aggressive, high‑intensity performance in the featured slot.
- Elkins closes a roughly 16‑year UFC run of more than 30 Octagon appearances and a 19‑11 UFC ledger after a career defined by comeback wins like his 2017 stoppage of Mirsad Bektic and the April 2025 knockout loss to Julian Erosa that helped crystallize his retirement plans.