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Photo: World Fighting League

Melvin Manhoef has officially retired from kickboxing and did it on one of the highest of highs.

“No Mercy” beat rival Remy Bonjasky for the first time after three losing efforts by decision in the main event of WFL: The Final 16. Manhoef tells MMA Plus he couldn’t have wished for a better farewell from kickboxing in the organization he founded himself.

“It felt great. Unfortunately, it was the last time, but I can’t complain,” Manhoef says about returning to the kickboxing ring after 18 months. “I have mixed feelings about it. I hadn’t kickboxed in a while, but enjoyed it so much that I was thinking ‘Oh crap, I want to continue.’

“But the time is right. When you say it’s your final one, it should be your final one and I couldn’t have wished for a better farewell. The win symbolizes my fighter’s mentality and I’m overjoyed that I can say: ‘Yeah, I’ve lost three times to him, but I’ve also beaten him because I kept on fighting.’ I didn’t give up and eventually, I did it. That’s very important to me.”

Manhoef was very confident he did enough to get the victory. The 41-year-old expected a different fight from Bonjasky, but was convinced he would be called the winner after nine minutes of action.

“The first two rounds were mine. Although the first one was close, I pressed more and I was the aggressor who landed more punches,” Manhoef says about the fight itself. “I was confident I won the first two (rounds), so I just had to finish the fight in the third.

“I prepared very well and expected Remy to push the action more than he did. Paul Lamoth, my former trainer, was in Bonjasky’s corner and he told me afterwards that they trained on doing that as well, but it didn’t play out that way.

“That’s why I played it cool because I planned on countering with kicks. It’s a big weight off my shoulders and I’m very happy with how everything went, from the fight to everything around the event as well.”

Although he finished his well-documented kickboxing career, it’s not Manhoef’s last fight. “No Mercy” will now solely focus on completing his Bellator MMA contract before hanging up the gloves for good. The Dutchman hopes to step back in the cage in February.

“I don’t have to focus on kickboxing anymore, my focus is fully on finishing my Bellator contract,” Manhoef says. “I made it out of the fight without injuries, so two days later I was back in the gym already. I’ll have to discuss what’s next with Bellator.”

Now Manhoef has the taste of beating a previous foe, he’d like to do the same in Bellator: “I’m not picky, but I would love to redeem previous losses on my record. I have some unfinished business with the likes of Alexander Shlemenko, Rafael Carvalho, Joe Schilling and Gegard Mousasi, who recently signed with Bellator. I’d love to have a repeat against them.

“But first, I have to see what Bellator wants. Let’s say I win the remaining fights on my contract and they want to give me a title shot, of course, I wouldn’t say no. The middleweight division of Bellator is not the deepest, so I could be in title contention again after two or three wins. Closing out my career with a title would be the perfect ending.”