Norfolk MMA star Scott Butters has announced his retirement from the sport after losing to Kingsley Crawford at Cage Warriors 111 at the O2 Arena this evening.
Butters, 32, was stopped in the second round by Crawford (now 4-2), with referee Leon Roberts stepping in to save him as his foe rained down heavy elbows and punches from mount.
Afterwards, the Dereham man, who finishes his pro career with a record of 2-4, said: "The fight was absolutely amazing. Coming through the amateur ranks and everything, for me Cage Warrors was always the goal and to say that I've done that within two years of turning pro is unbelievable.
"The result isn't great but I've checked off a goal on my list and I've got nothing to prove to anyone, not that I ever did, but I wanted to prove it to myself. I've done everything I wanted to do."
He added: "Tonight will see my retirement, I'm officially retiring from MMA. I've achieved everything that I wanted to. I can honestly hand on heart say I've fought the best people I can.
"I could have quite easily picked easier fights and finished on an at least even record but I don't see the point.
"I've fought some of the best in two of the toughest divisions in East Anglia, so that's me done, time for some family time."
Butters' professional career almost never got started - he was told he could never fight again after suffering a nose injury while sparring, forcing him to quit the cage as an amateur.
But after months out he got a second opinion and was allowed to fight on, finishing his amateur career with an 8-6 record and the Lion Fight lightweight title.
He turned pro and promptly racked up two stoppage wins on the respected Contenders show in Norwich, before running into a murderers' row of opponents - the experienced Kim Thinghaugen, the super-talented Craig Edwards and the explosive Richard Mearns.
He lost to all three, the most recent a second round armbar defeat to Mearns after he'd dropped to featherweight at Contenders 27 in September.
With his future up in the air, the Cage Warriors call came - and Butters jumped at the chance to end his career by realising a dream.
He said: "I've just had a really good career, and I can pride myself on never once missing weight, 6 pro fights, 13 amateur MMA, three K1 and two boxing, and I've never once missed weight. I'm happy."
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