Former Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran returns from a career-long layoff on Friday at Bellator 184. Injuries were the culprit behind the long break, and during that time Curran’s eyes were opened to a future without fighting.

Curran’s (22-7 MMA, 12-4 BMMA) problematic back has kept him out of action since May 2016. He’s fought just twice since February 2015, but will finally return to the cage at Bellator 184 when he meets John Teixeira (21-2-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) in a featherweight bout on the Spike-televised main card at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. Prelims stream on MMAjunkie.

The lack of competition forced Curran to find other means of financial stability, he said. He’s always carried the knowledge that he would eventually have to figure out his future beyond fighting, but an injury which doctors said might prevent him from ever stepping in the cage again accelerated the process.

Curran turned to a trades job in the heating and air conditioning field. Although vastly different from the role of a professional fighter, Curran said he found another passion he felt comfortable doing.

“I’m thinking about the future more,” Curran told MMAjunkie. “Financially, I definitely wanted to start bringing in some money and a paycheck every week. I wanted to start working toward a backup plan and a career. I wanted to keep my time busy and ultimately my long-term goal is I would like to get back into the trades. I really enjoy the work.

“I know fighting isn’t going to last forever. Eventually I’m going to hang up the gloves and fall back onto something else. Right now my fall-back plan is this work. It keeps me busy and it’s a very rewarding job. There’s a lot of money to be made in that career.”

Curran’s level of enjoyment with his new job is so high that he opted to keep working in the lead-up to Bellator 184. He not only did that out of necessity because he had to bring in funds to support his training camp, but he also wanted all the perks that come with the job.

“I like having insurance, I like having benefits and a paycheck every week,” Curran said. “It helps me with a mortgage for a house. It has a lot of upside, along with job security. If I didn’t have a job I wouldn’t have been able to get a full training camp like I did and be this ready.

“I was able to juggle both. After a few months of training a few times a week and working, my body was able to get adjusted to it and get in a normal routine.”

In his first seven years as a fighter, Curran competed in 27 bouts. In the more than two years since, though, there have only been two fights. That doesn’t exactly sit well with “Paddy Mike.”

The recent years might be the most important of any, however, because Curran was forced to figure out the next chapter of his life. Curran admits that when wrapped up in an active fight schedule, the other aspects of life that deserve his attention are ultimately neglected. Although it’s somewhat a cliche, MMA truly is a sport where the window for success and financial gain are limited.

February 2018 will mark the 10-anniversary of Curran’s pro debut, and although he’s still only 30, his injury issues have made him fully aware that it can all come to an end at any moment.

“This kind of forced me to take a step back and come up with a second plan so I can transition to the next stage in my life,” Curran said. “It’s going to happen. When you’re busy and fighting three times a year you’re just thinking about the next fight and the next fight. Now, with the injury I wasn’t really sure if I would be able to train anymore. The doctor I saw recommended that I sit on the sidelines and start coaching and not think about fighting. He said my injury should be a warning sign from my body that I can’t do this much longer. I have a very, very short window. I have to make the most out of it right now.”

Curran knows that any fight could be his last, but said he’s feeling excellent ahead of Bellator 184 and is primed to deliver “one of the best performances” of his career. Despite his long absence from the Bellator featherweight division, Curran is still one of the top contenders out there. If he can stay active and healthy a chance to regain the 145-pound belt he’s held twice before is an attainable goal.

The dream scenario would be to add a third title reign to his resume then ride off into the sunset from the sport, but Curran is trying not to get too far ahead of himself. He wants to get back in the swing of things with a win at Bellator 184, and once that happens, he will determine the next move.

“I’d love to retire as the champion,” Curran said. “I don’t know when I’m going to retire or when it’s going to happen. Eventually my body is going to give out and stop working the way I want it to. I’d like to be a champion again and when that time comes I’ll make a decision if I want to push forward and take more damage. Right now it’s fight by fight.”

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