Kris Moutinho opens up on dark time after UFC release: I was close to 'ending it all'
ATLANTA – Kris Moutinho had very dark thoughts after his original stint in the UFC ended.
Moutinho (14-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) made his UFC debut on short notice against former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley in July 2021. He lost the fight by third-round TKO at UFC 264 but earned a Fight of the Night bonus for his effort, which made him a fan favorte. But Moutinho would receive his walking papers after getting finished by Guido Cannetti in the first round at UFC Fight Night 203. That's when things took a really bad turn for the 32-year-old.
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"I went through a really bad time with relationships, with everything else," Moutinho told MMA Junkie and other reporters during Wednesday's UFC on ESPN 69 media day. "My life was just a mess. I was very close to ending this thing, ending it all and being done.
"I don't want to talk too much about it, but it was a bad time, one of the worst times in my life. I found the girl I'm with now, my beautiful girlfriend. She saved me, saved my life, helped me find God a lot better, and I'm just in a better place."
Moutinho has been given a second chance in the UFC after putting together a five-fight winning streak. However, the opportunity will come on short notice once again, and it'll be against undefeated Malcolm Wellmaker (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) on Saturday's UFC on ESPN 69 (ESPN, ESPN+) prelims at State Farm Arena.
Despite the far-from-ideal circumstances, Moutinho insists he's at peace.
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"I feel like I'm where God put me, where I'm supposed to be," Moutinho said. "I feel like this is the guy that should have been here in 2021, the guy that is mentally focused, enjoys this stuff again. Then, I was just kind of going through the motions, and I was happy to be here, but I was kind of just happy to be here. I'm not that guy no more. I don't care. I'm coming to kill. I'm coming to knock him out. He has to kill me to get me out of there."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC fighter admits to having suicidal thoughts after release in 2022
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