After earning a spot on the UFC’s roster with a split-decision win on Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2022, Hailey Cowan is calling it a career at the age of 34. Cowan suffered a TKO loss at the hands of Nina Milošević during UFC Belgrade.
The KO loss came on the strength of a nasty straight right hand to the body. Cowan immediately stopped and nearly folded like a lawn chair. I don’t recall ever seeing a fighter take a loss like Cowan and calling it a career immediately afterward.
As it is, Cowan’s loss on Saturday was her fourth in a row and they have all come by way of stoppage.
Key Facts at a Glance
The essentials on Cowan’s final night:
- Fighter: Hailey Cowan, 34, out of Robinson, Texas
- Career record: 7-6 in MMA, 0-4 in the UFC
- Final result: TKO by body punch, Round 1, 3:41
- Event: UFC Belgrade, August 1, Belgrade Arena, Serbia
- Opponent: Nina Milošević, 9-1 in MMA, promotional debut
What Happened In The Cowan Vs. Milosevic Fight?
Milošević went to the body from the opening exchange and never left it. A front kick got Cowan’s attention early, and the Serbian kept working the same target until a clean straight punch to the midsection sent Cowan turning away. The follow-up shot put her on the canvas. Referee stoppage came at 3:41 of the first.
The finish was one of 12 on the night, a card volume that turned Belgrade into a record-setter. More on that in my UFC Belgrade results and bonuses breakdown.
Why Did Hailey Cowan Retire?
Cowan announced the decision on social media within hours of the loss, thanking the sport and framing the run as something she was proud of rather than something that got away from her.
The math behind it is pretty simple. Cowan went 6-2 in LFA and 1-0 in Invicta before the Contender Series call, then never found a win across four octagon appearances spanning three years, with injuries and a ruptured ovarian cyst costing her two scheduled debuts along the way.
All things considered, here decision makes sense.
Retirements at the moment of defeat are rare. Gilbert Burns called it inside the cage after a TKO loss in April, and Colby Covington walked away weeks later under very different circumstances.
Who Won The UFC Belgrade Performance Bonuses?
Meanwhile, Milošević was awarded one of the $100K performance of the night bonuses. Talk about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. These two fighters clearly epitomize the concept. The other bonuses went to Uros Medic, Navajo Stirling and Gilbert Urbina.
What’s Next For Nina Milosevic?
Milošević wants back in fast. She told Michael Bisping in the cage that the body work was drilled and expected to land, and she pointed at the 135-pound division currently run by Kayla Harrison as where she intends to go.
A first-round finish, a six-figure bonus and a home crowd in a country hosting its first UFC card is close to the ceiling for a promotional debut. The matchmakers now decide how quickly they cash it.