"That’s a bad sign" - MMA worlds reacts to Matt Schnell leaving gloves inside octagon after tapping out to Cody Durden at UFC Vegas 97

Matt Schnell succumbed to his fourth loss in five octagon outings at UFC Vegas 97 and appears to have opted to hang up his gloves. Schnell lost to Cody Durden via submission in the second round, moments after he attempted to initiate a grappling sequence.

In the first round, Schnell responded to Durden’s aggression with overhand rights. The pair engaged in wild, unguarded exchanges that set the tone of the fiery encounter. By the end of the round, both fighters were locked in a stalemate, each landing 23 significant strikes. In the second round, Schnell attempted a takedown, only for Durden to reverse the momentum and lock in the anaconda choke. 'Danger' tapped at 29 seconds of the second round.

Following the loss, Schnell left his gloves in the center of the octagon, a gesture that has become symbolic of a fighter's decision to retire from the sport. He was visibly emotional and reduced to tears while leaving the octagon.

Check out the video below:

Several UFC fighters and analysts speculated on whether Schnell has indeed decided to retire from the sport. MMA reporter Ariel Helwani wrote:

"Matt Schnell, following a loss to Cody Durden, just took off his gloves and laid them in the middle of the cage. No interview but he was emotional walking out."

Prominent MMA coach Eric Nicksick wrote:

"Ah man, if that was it for Schnell, I wish they’d given him a minute on the mic. What a great career. #UFCVegas97"

Meanwhile, former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo reacted to the submission and wrote:

"Dang that was tight! Made Schnell double tap! #UFCVegas97"

A fan also pointed out that his coach allegedly encouraged him to take the decision:

"Coach told him to that’s a bad sign."

Check out some of the reactions below:

Fans and pros react to Matt Schnell apparently retiring from the sport. [Images from X]