Breaking: Diana Belbita calls it a career after recent loss, expresses gratitude to Dana White and the UFC

Modified Apr 08, 2025 15:38 GMT

Diana Belbita retires after recent UFC loss, thanks Dana White [Image Source - Getty]

Diana Belbita has announced her retirement from professional MMA at the age of 28. Nicknamed 'The Warrior Princess,' the Romanian fighter compiled a 15-10 MMA record, 2-6 in the UFC.

Belbita recently fought at UFC Vegas 105, headlined by Lerone Murphy and Josh Emmet. In her return to the flyweight division, the 28-year-old suffered a first-round submission loss to Dione Barbosa.

'The Warrior Princess' announced her retirement in a social media post, mentioning the UFC, Dana White, and matchmaker Mick Maynard.

"It was fun fighting at the highest level. I never even dared to dream that I will get there, But I ended up spending my last 6 years fighting for the best promotion in the world. It was a fun journey and I loved it. Now it’s time for me to start a new chapter. Thank you," Belbita wrote.

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Check out Diana Belbita's social media post below:

Incidentally, the 28-year-old's UFC debut was against Molly McCann, who retired after losing at the promotion's recent fight night event in London. McCann and Belbita also rematched at UFC Vegas 85, where the former won via submission. 'Meatball' had won their first encounter via a decision.

One-time strawweight title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz is another big name Belbita fought in the UFC. The 28-year-old's only two victories in the promotion were against Hannah Goldy at UFC Vegas 32 and Maria Oliveira at UFC 289, both via unanimous decision.

Despite her relatively inferior MMA record, especially in the UFC, Belbita was popular on social media. A fan of the Naruto Shippuden anime, she often shared pictures on social media wearing Akatsuki-themed clothes.

Diana Belbita hinted at retirement ahead of UFC Vegas 105

Weeks before her fight against Dione Barbosa at UFC Vegas 105, Diana Belbita had hinted that she would likely retire. The 28-year-old shared her thoughts in an interview with Cageside Press.

When asked whether she was facing any pressure going into the fight against Barbosa, Belbita replied:

"Well, how I said, my body, my body takes a lot of damage already. Like, I feel like my body, it's the damage for all those years, it's, you know, like, it's getting me, it's reaching me. So I don't think I'm going to be able to fight for too long time," Belbita said.

'The Warrior Princess' also shared that she has already mapped out a plan for her post-fighting career. Belbita disclosed that she would be opening a gym in Indiana by June or July.

Check out Diana Belbita's comments below (13:43):

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Safeer M S is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda, having delved into the sport professionally since 2024. His journey into baseball was sparked by Shohei Ohtani’s remarkable MLB performances, which ignited his passion for the game. Safeer’s enthusiasm for fantasy baseball further fueled his engagement with the sport.

Safeer supports baseball stars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge, with Shohei Ohtani's dual-threat dominance being his most memorable baseball moment. He admires Willie Mays for his athleticism and historic achievements in pinch-hitting and stealing bases.

In addition to his baseball expertise, Safeer is deeply passionate about combat sports, which he has been reporting on since 2022. His journey into combat sports began with Karate lessons in school, followed by boxing training. Films like Rocky 4, Never Back Down, and Warrior inspired his love for MMA, and witnessing Demetrious Johnson's victory over Kyoji Horiguchi solidified his commitment to the sport.

When not immersed in sports, Safeer enjoys playing football, working out, and watching anime or thriller movies.

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Edited by Ritwik Kumar