Ross Pearson comes out of retirement, November return fight planned

Former UFC lightweight fighter Ross Pearson has decided to come out of retirement. He will fight on November 16 for the Probellum MMA promotion at Brentwood Centre in London, England. The promotion has not yet located an opponent for Pearson.

ESPN’s Ariel Helwani first reported the news. Here’s what Helwani said.

Former UFC veteran @RossTheRealDeal is coming out of MMA retirement, I’m told. He will be on the Probellum MMA card on 11/16 in London, England. They are currently searching for his opponent. Since leaving the UFC, he’s gone 1-0 as a pro boxer. pic.twitter.com/b19uJFwZS9

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 4, 2019

“Former UFC veteran @RossTheRealDeal is coming out of MMA retirement, I’m told. He will be on the Probellum MMA card on 11/16 in London, England. They are currently searching for his opponent. Since leaving the UFC, he’s gone 1-0 as a pro boxer.”

Pearson (20-16, 1 NC) is now 35-years-old and hasn’t competed since a knockout loss to Desmond Green in March of this year. After that loss Pearson promptly decided to retire from the UFC, although he may very well have been released if he didn’t retire. A former Ultimate Fighter winner, Pearson has really struggled to win fights in recent years. Overall he’s lost six of his last seven fights, with a decision win over Mizuto Hirota his lone victory since 2016. With a lack of success inside the Octagon, Pearson decided to retire.

But he came out of retirement to compete in boxing in May of this year and scored a second-round TKO win in Australia. That knockout win must have given Pearson the confidence he needed to think he could still compete in MMA, and now he’s coming out of his short-lived retirement to do so.

Former UFC star @RossTheRealDeal scores a 2nd round KO over Salar King in his boxing debut #TszyuCamilleri pic.twitter.com/XjYfNGzQFl

— Jamie Pandaram (@JamiePandaram) May 15, 2019

Pearson does not have an opponent yet, and at this point it’s hard to say who he will fight. His new promotion may want to give him a lay-up fight against a lesser opponent or perhaps they could sign another former UFC lightweight to fight him. Either way, “The Real Deal” is coming back to a cage near you in short order.

Are you surprised to see Ross Pearson come out of retirement?