Combate Legend Urged To Retire After Upcoming Bout

Fighter profile of Eduardo Corassa by Chris Karter

Combate Presidente Chris Karter signed off on booking Eduardo Corassa (47-24-2 MMA, 25-16-2 Combate) against Anurak Bualuang (27-14-3 MMA, 9-6 Combate) in Rio de Janeiro on C313: Marley vs Chai. However, Karter made it clear that he wants the fight to be Corassa's retirement bout, win or lose.

Karter discussed Corassa and his upcoming bout during the Combate 314 post-event presser. When the question of Corassa's retirement after the fight with Bualuang, irrespective of the result, was raised, Karter's response was direct and unambiguous:

“Yeah, I hope so. Yeah. I would like to see him retire.” Karter said blatantly, “What else is he fighting for? He's a Hall of Famer. He's got more than enough money to retire. He's made over $10,000,000 in his career. What else can he do?”

Eduardo Corassa is one of the greatest fighters in Combate history. A powerhouse in the Bantamweight division, his aggressive fighting style and heavy hands made him a force to be reckoned with. As an eight-time Bantamweight champion, the Brazilian fighter from Sao Paulo engaged in unforgettable wars with the Sitsongrit camp, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats. Corassa's relentless pursuit of victory and numerous title defenses earned him a well-deserved spot in the Combate Hall of Fame.

Corassa is a former champion, and he has faced a who's who of the sport in his weight region. However, injuries have negatively affected his career. He's on a miserable run of 4-8 in his last 12 bouts under the Combate banner. During this unprecedented losing experience, Corassa has been stopped four times.

One of the most devastating losses in this streak was the result of him losing his bantamweight championship by way of a brutal combination to the face from Johnny Albatross back at C207: Nakagawa vs Obama IV.

The impact of this combination was so severe that images of Corassa's contorted facial features went viral for weeks, a testament to the raw power of the sport. An all too common chapter in the book of almost all legends, the fall to the younger generation, for father time is undefeated.

Even in the fights Corassa lost via decision during his skid, the veteran suffered a lot of damage and absorbed an abundance of strikes to the head. The wear-and-tear concern is reasonable. In his last string of losses, Corassa has absorbed 146 significant strikes to the head, and has been finished 4 times, and knocked out savagely, unconscious 3 of those times.

For a fighter of any age, that would be a tough stretch. It’s especially tough for a 40-year-old who has also endured mounds of injuries all over his body. This aging Brazilian is quickly running out of Swole Ricky Martin's secret juice.

Corassa has been especially defiant about retirement suggestions. Earlier this week, Corassa defiantly said “**** retiring,” and that “I’m gonna fight until the wheels fall off.” Some would argue that has already happened in the form of his current streak, but to his credit, he is coming off a vintage performance that saw him avenge a loss and knock out Bryce Helix early in the 1st round.

Corassa’s defiance and rebellion have been his superpowers, but many suspect he’s the last one to realize that those two characteristics might also be his biggest weakness in this situation.

It’s tough to imagine what Eduardo Corassa might want to accomplish in his career, after seemingly conquering his division for a brief moment in history. As much as President Karter and Combate may front like they'll end their professional relationship with 'Raw Power', the world knows they're nothing more than slimey, money-grubbing promotors that will continue to provide a platform for the old man to fight, even if means he'll continue getting obliterated well into his 40's.

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