Middleweight fighter Alan Belcher has announced his retirement from MMA.

The former UFC combatant made the announcement Friday via Periscope.

"I'm done fighting. I'm finished. I'll never, ever fight again. This is my official retirement," he said during the session.

Following this statement, Belcher said he'll continue teaching martial arts and focus more on business and helping others expand their martial arts businesses into the future.

"I really feel like talking to instructors and gym owners, business owners is my calling now," Belcher said. "That's what I really want to do...I really believe that I could go down that road and fight again, but this is more important to me. I like teaching martial arts. I want to continue teaching students all over the world in my online businesses...

"So this is my official retirement. That's it. I'm not really going to shed a tear or anything. I'm done. I don't care. I don't want to get hit anymore."

Belcher retires with an 18-8 record in professional action, most notably piecing together an impressive four-fight winning streak from December 2009 to May 2012 inside the UFC Octagon.