Julian Erosa will retire after his fight against Jeong Yeong Lee at UFC Vegas 123 on Saturday, October 31, in Las Vegas, win or lose. The 37-year-old featherweight said so in an interview with Fanatics View, reported by MMA Mania and Sherdog. It will be his 19th UFC fight, after a career that started in 2010.
Key takeaways
- Julian Erosa told Fanatics View that his fight against Jeong Yeong Lee on October 31 will be his last, whatever the result.
- He is 37 and 9-9 in the UFC. He has 31 pro wins, 26 of them by knockout or submission, according to Sherdog.
- Lee, 30, is 11-3. Like Erosa, he comes in on 2 straight losses. The fight is on the prelims of UFC Vegas 123 at the Meta APEX.
Julian Erosa's retirement: what he said
A date set in advance
Erosa did not make a big announcement. He said it in an interview with Fanatics View, picked up on October 26 by MMA Mania and on October 27 by Sherdog: the October 31 fight will be his last.
Why decide before the fight
He explained that a win would make him want to keep going and a loss would make him want redemption. So he chose to set the end date before the fight, to be at peace with it whatever happens.
His son first
He also said his priorities changed after the birth of his son. Fighting used to be his whole life, he explained, and he now wants to leave with his health intact.
A long UFC career, with 3 stints
From The Ultimate Fighter to the Contender Series
Erosa has fought pro since 2010. He came to the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter 22 and made his debut in 2015. He was released, won on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018, then was cut again after 3 straight losses, according to Sherdog.
The return in 2020
He came back in 2020 after a regional win and has fought 13 more times in the Octagon since. His UFC record stands at 9-9. Of his 31 pro wins, Sherdog counts 12 by knockout, 14 by submission and 5 by decision.
The last results
In 2024 and 2025, he won 3 in a row: Ricardo Ramos and Christian Rodriguez by guillotine in round 1, then Darren Elkins by TKO in round 1 at UFC 314. Then he lost to Melquizael Costa by decision in May 2025 and to Lerryan Douglas by KO in round 1 in March 2026.
I haven't really made it a big deal, but this will be my last fight.
Jeong Yeong Lee, the last opponent of Julian Erosa
Who is Lee
Jeong Yeong Lee, 30, is a South Korean featherweight with an 11-3 record. He came to the UFC through Road to UFC, where he knocked out Kai Lu in 42 seconds in 2022.
Also on a skid
Lee beat Zha Yi in 2023 and Blake Bilder in 2024, then lost to Hyder Amil by TKO in July 2024 and to Daniel Santos by decision at UFC 315 in May 2025. He has not fought since.
The event
The fight is on the preliminary card of UFC Vegas 123, Saturday, October 31, at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan headline at lightweight. Erosa and Lee have their profile and record in the FightHub app.
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