UFC legend Bas Rutten: 'I would have loved to have finished my career at Karate Combat'

UFC legend Bas Rutten was in a bit of a rush, but a smile broke across his face as he looked back on his career with a sense of pride.

For some MMA fans who may be too young to remember, the former UFC heavyweight champion fought professionally from 1993 to 2006 and was crowned champ in 1999.

Rutten’s most notable wins came against Kevin Randleman, Frank Shamrock and Maurice Smith.

He was also inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in May 2015.

But it is his remarkable comeback at the age of 40 that is the true stuff of legend.

However, that didn’t come without its consequences, as Rutten explained to GiveMeSport.com this week.

In fact, he was so riddled with injuries, he was forced to retire again a few months later.

“That was the Lord telling me it was time to stop you know,” he admitted.

“He gave me a bunch of injuries that I hated at the time and now I understand why it was because he didn’t want to wreck my career.

“You know, I came off a 22 unbeaten streak which was a great way to stop because if I did not have the injuries I would have been a knucklehead.

“I would have been an idiot. I was fighting guys half my age who started fighting at ten years old. Eventually you’re going to lose.

“So I’m happy that I got the injuries but when I came back again I was training in Vegas with some of the top guys at the time and they were like ‘dude, you have a second career’.

“I thought, ‘Okay then, let’s give it a go’, and then all the injuries start coming back.

“I was really messed up for that fight. I tore a hamstring, my rib was out, I had tendonitis in both arms. I was crushed.

“But I had to fight because I had just spent like 35,000 dollars on rehab. I was training, in rehab, training, in rehab. It was a fricking