To onlookers, it seemed like Saunders let his UFC contract expire to cash in on the free-agent market, a growing trend in MMA. His fight against Patrick Cote back in January was the last on his UFC deal and a big win there could have raised his stock.
Except the public perception was completely off the mark. Saunders wasn't thinking of free agency — he was contemplating retirement.
"It makes sense why people would assume that," Saunders told MMA Fighting. "But no, man. I had sh*t going on. My management came at me saying that UFC sent over a contract, and I was gonna retire.