Brendan Schaub recalls his unceremonious departure from the UFC: “I got an email that said ‘cool, just so you know if you ever come back we still own your ass’”

Brendan Schaub recalls walking away from MMA back in 2015 after his last fight with Travis Browne resulted in a TKO loss.

Schaub’s legacy in the UFC is mixed, but he’s best remembered for wins against Gabriel Gonzaga and Mirko Cro Cop.

Last week news broke that former interim lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee had been let go by the UFC. According to ‘The MoTown Phenom’, his seven-year career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship was ended with a abrupt email.

For Brendan Schaub, the UFC’s handling of Lee’s departure comes as no surprise.

“I don’t know when these guys are gonna realise – this is a business. It is a cutthroat business. Professional sports? It is cut-f***ing-throat. UFC, NBA, MLB, it’s all like this, man. A lot are like this, unless you’re a big time dude, tip of the spear guy that was winning a million fights for them and making them all this money. When I retired, and I’d say I did pretty well in the UFC, when I retired I got an email that said ‘cool, just so you know if you ever come back we still own your ass’. It’s like, cool man, yeah, that’s all I got.”

Schaub continued (h/t Sportskeeda):

“I was complaining about the Reebok deal and throwing shade at Dana so I didn’t expect much, but I got an email, man.”

Currently Brendan Schaub is best know for his podcast work, interviews and his comedic talents. He has gained popularity co-hosting The Fighter and The Kid podcast with Bryan Callen in addition to his duties hosting Below the Belt with Brendan Schaub.

Image via @brendanschaub on Instagram

Previously in an interview with Inked Mag, Schaub described losing love for the MMA:

“I became a little jaded to the sport when I saw the underbelly of the business and learned how much other fighters were being paid,” Schaub said. “I think that I just lost love for it and I’m so fortunate that I had a lot of other options, which a lot of guys don’t. They did give me a lot of great opportunities so it wasn’t a UFC problem, as much as a Brendan problem.”

Schaub credits Joe Rogan and Bryan Callen for inspiring him to follow his passion for comedy.

“Joe’s a commentator for the UFC and about seven years ago, when I’d recently moved to LA, Bryan Callen, who I do my podcast with, Joe, and I started hanging out. They’re the ones who gave me the motivation to go into comedy,” he said.

No regrets – Brendan Schaub has a loyal podcast following and released his first comedy TV special in 2019, “You’d Be Surprised”, which unfortunately got a 1.6/10 on IMDB, nonetheless – he is happy his fighting days are behind him.

“In fighting, you can’t have one foot in and one foot out, or else you’re going to get really hurt. My heart wasn’t into it and I’d always wanted to do stand-up,” says Schaub. “It was never hard for me to walk away from fighting because it was very obvious what I should be doing. Most guys when they’re done, they don’t know where to put their energy, so I’m super fortunate.”

What do you think of Brendan Schaub as a stand-up comedian? Did you watch his TV Special “You’d be Surprised”?  Do you miss him fighting in the UFC? Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!