With a 9-0 record and slew of stoppages, 28-year old Cole Konrad was one of the top prospects in the heavyweight division due to his success as an amateur wrestler and improving all-around skills. Unfortunately, it appears fans will never get a chance to see the Bellator champion enter his prime, as the unbeaten grappler has decided to call it a career and enter the white-collar world instead.
Specifically, Konrad has decided to follow the footsteps of his family and work as an agricultural commodities trader focused on the dairy industry.
“This decision has been on my mind for a while, and the time was finally right to make the move,” explained Konrad in a press release from Bellator. “I wrestled my whole life and it was one of the only things I ever knew. When my college career was over, MMA seemed like the natural progression, but it was never really my passion. I thoroughly enjoyed my time inside the Bellator cage, but having the consistency and stability of going to the office every day is something that just made sense to me.”
The “Polar Bear” also made it clear he hadn’t completely closed the door on MMA but wasn’t necessarily likely to return to the ring either.
“I can’t say enough good things about my time with Bellator. I enjoyed every second of my time in the cage, and having a boss like Bjorn Rebney was a pleasure,” said Konrad. “Bellator does things the right way, and if I ever find myself back in the cage, there is no doubt in my mind it will be with Bellator.”
A Closer Look at Konrad’s Last Title-Defense
Konrad’s final fight came in May where he tapped out Eric Prindle in the opening round of action. He also holds past wins over Neil Grove and Paul Buentello.
Bellator has not announced what they plan to do with the now-vacant title though a heavyweight tournament is planned for the upcoming season with the first round slated for October.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
TweetSource: http://www.fighters.com/09/14/bellator-champion-cole-konrad-retires-from-mma-to-pursue-desk-job
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