[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] took his gloves off in the cage at UFC 291 leading to speculation about his fighting future. But in an Instagram post after the bout, he cleared up doubt he’d fight again.
Despite his disappointment in the result, a first-round loss to [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] (25-9 MMA, 12-6 UFC) by D’Arce choke submission, Chiesa (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) said he’s not done yet.
“Well that sucked,” Chiesa wrote. “Congrats to @trailblaze2top and his team. Kevin is a helluva fighter, one of the most game fighters in combat sports. I knew this was a very challenging opponent to face coming off almost a two year layoff but I’ve never said no to a fight. I’ll dust myself off, get back in the gym and get back to work. I ain’t done yet.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvTk0nzOT9M/
The fight Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City was Chiesa’s first UFC appearance since November 2021. Due to multiple bout cancellations, Chiesa struggled to remain active – and also confirmed at a news conference before the bout he’s been battling a back issue. Chiesa, 35, has now lost three fights in a row.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.