UFC 129: Randy Couture and 15 MMA Legends Who May Retire in the Next Year
With UFC 129 just eight days away, speculation regarding Randy Coutureโs future as a mixed martial artist remains a hot topic.
The former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion has spoken clearly to numerous sources about his intentions to make his fight at next Saturday nightโs event, against Lyoto Machida, his last.
But this isnโt the first time weโve heard the word โretirementโ come out of Coutureโs mouth. In fact, itโs not the second time, either.
Indeed Couture has actually already claimed retirement on two other occasions, which has lead some to give him the title of โMMAโs Brett Favre.โ
But at 47 years old, this time, it might actually be over. Speaking about retirement before a fight is something new to Couture, and brings a much more serious tone to the conversation.
So just how likely is this to be the last time we see Randy Couture step into the cage?
Letโs investigate his chances of retirement as well as a list of other MMA legends who may be nearing the end of their careers.
15. Brock Lesnar
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Age: 33
MMA Debut: 2007
The UFCโs top pay per view draw of all-time has only had seven professional fights, but may already be nearing the end of his mixed martial arts career.ย
Itโs not that anyone believes that Lesnar canโt still be a top contender. After all, he did defeat Randy Couture, Frank Mir, and Shane Carwin.
But his battle with diverticulitis seems to have changed his outlook on life. He was always a family-first man, but Lesnar seems to now be more focused on being a father to his children and a husband to his wife than he ever was before.ย
At this point, Lesnar doesnโt need the money anymore. He has earned enough to live very comfortably for the rest of his life. Itโs simply a matter of desire to compete from here on out.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 15%
14. Matt Hughes
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Age: 37
MMA Debut: 1998
Though Georges St-Pierre is now running the UFCโs Welterweight division, it was once Matt Hughes who appeared to be the unstoppable, unbeatable 170 pound beast. Prior to losing the UFC Welterweight title in shocking fashion to BJ Penn at UFC 46, Hughes had put together a ridiculous 35-3 mixed martial arts record.
Hughes has had more fights in the UFC than any other fighter (Randy Couture will tie that number next Saturday night at UFC 129) and is already a UFC Hall of Fame inductee.
He has lost four straight fights against top 10 opponents, including two fights to Georges St-Pierre, one to Thiago Alves, and his most recent loss against BJ Penn. But Hughes does remain a borderline top 10 fighter himself, with wins over Matt Serra, Renzo Gracie, and Ricardo Almeida.
Still, at 37 years old, Hughes has to be considering a retirement at some point soon.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 20%
13. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
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Age: 34
MMA Debut: 1999
Though he made his MMA debut at age 23, โBig Nogโsโ MMA training actually began all the way back when he was just four years old, when he began training in judo.
Nogueira started boxing at the age of 14, had began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu not long after that. He earned his black belt in both judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1999.
An incredibly durable fighter, Nogueira was a two-time Pride Heavyweight Champion, the 2000 Rings: King of Kings tournament champion, and amassed an unbelievable 29-4-1 career mixed martial arts record by the time he debuted for the UFC in 2007.
Nogueira went on to become the Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion as well when he defeated Tim Sylvia to win the crown at UFC 81.
With two of his last three fights having ended in a knockout loss, something he had never experienced prior, Nogueira could consider hanging it up if he suffers another devastating loss. This is particularly true as the nagging injuries add up, including the hip that has kept him out of the cage now for 14 months.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 25%
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12. Anderson Silva
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Age: 36
MMA Debut: 2000
As perhaps the most dominant champion in the history of the UFC, there really isnโt much left for Anderson Silva to do in the sport. He is scheduled to face Yushin Okami later this summer, but is just about out of opponents at 185 pounds after that.
There have been strong rumors about a potential โsuper fightโ with Georges St-Pierre, but GSP doesnโt seem to be nearly as excited about the fight as Silva does. Not only that, but Silva has gone out of his way to say that he will not ever go up in weight to fight UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones.
If neither fight ever comes to fruition and Silva dismantles Okami like he has almost every other opponent he has faces in the UFC, the champion may just decide that itโs time to retire on top.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 25%
11. Nick Diaz
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Age: 27
MMA Debut: 2001
The youngest fighter on this list, Strikeforce Welterweight Champion, Nick Diaz, has drawn a lot of attention recently with the rumors that he may consider retirement from mixed martial arts.
Though Diaz is a consensus top 10, some would even say as high as top 3 welterweight in the world, he has expressed that he does not feel he is compensated well enough to continue fighting in the sport.
It may all be a big publicity stunt, but there has to be concern from Zuffa that their champion will essentially be โtaking his ball and going home.โ
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 30%
10. Wanderlei Silva
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Age: 34
MMA Debut: 1996
One of the most legendary fighters in the history of the sport, many believe Wanderlei Silva to be the greatest 205 pound fighter of the last generation.
He once went 17 fights without a loss in Pride, including winning and defending the Pride Middleweight (205 pound) Championship, winning the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix tournament and even fought to a draw against consensus No. 2 heavyweight Mirko โCro Copโ Filipovic.
Silva made his long-awaited UFC return by losing a unanimous decision to Chuck Liddell at UFC 79 in a fight which won the coveted Fight of the Year award at the 2007 MMA Awards.
But injuries have kept the โAxe Murdererโ out of the cage for much of his run in the company. In fact, after defeating Michael Bisping in his 185-pound return, Silva underwent knee surgery and has now been out of the cage for 14 months.
He is expected to make his return at UFC 132, when he will face โThe Cripplerโ Chris Leben,โ but training seems to be taking its toll in the form of nagging injuries. We could be nearing the end of this legendary career.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 35%
9. Kazushi Sakuraba
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Age: 41
MMA Debut: 1997
A former high school wrestling standout, Kazushi Sakuraba originally chose a career in pro wrestling over mixed martial arts. It was in the world of pro wrestling that he met Billy Robertson, who began teaching him the art of catch wrestling which would serve as a base for his very unique style.
Sakuraba made his MMA debut in June 1997, losing a fight against Kimo Leopoldo. He would then earn his first victory in the sport when he defeated Marcus Silveira at UFC Japan in December of that year.
That win was the start of a legendary mixed martial arts career which saw Sakuraba defeat fellow legends and all-time greats such as Vitor Belfort, Royce Gracie, Renzo Gracie, Quinton โRampageโ Jackson, and Ken Shamrock.
But with three straight losses on his record, the 41 year old Sakuraba is mostly living off of past accomplishments at this point. He is not a realistic championship contender any longer and with very few high profile fights left, it may be time to call it a career.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 35%
8. Fedor Emelianenko
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Age: 34
MMA Debut: 2000
Many consider him the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time, but Fedor Emelianenko has fallen upon tough times lately while making the transition to the cage in Strikeforce.
After running up an unbelievable 31-1 record, with his only loss coming in a fight that came from a referee stoppage due to an illegal elbow, Fedor has lost two straight fights to Fabricio Werdum and Antonio Silva.
The loss to Werdum appeared to just be a simple mistake by Emelianenko which ended in him getting caught in a submission, but the loss to Silva was just a one-sided beatdown.
Fedor expressed that he may consider retiring immediately after the tough loss to Silva, but has not officially announced anything as of yet.
There are rumors of a potential fight against current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, Dan Henderson, later this year. The fight would be a legend vs. legend bout that could be the final fight of Emelianenkoโs career.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 35%
7. BJ Penn
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Age: 32
MMA Debut: 2001
BJ Penn is one of only two fighters in UFC to have won a title at two different weight classes.
The Hawaiian shocked the MMA world when he submitted the perceived-to-be-unstoppable Matt Hughes at UFC 46 to become the UFC Welterweight Champion in January 2004.
Then when the UFC re-added the 155 pound, lightweight division, it was BJ Penn who nearly single-handedly brought credibility to smaller MMA fighters in the worldโs largest MMA company.
Penn crushed Jens Pulver in his return to the division before going on to destroy Joe Stevenson to become the UFC Lightweight Champion in a fight that earned him the Beatdown of the Year award from Sherdog in 2008.
Penn eventually lost his title and a rematch to Frankie Edgar in 2010, prompting him to return to the welterweight division. He knocked out long-time rival Matt Hughes before fighting to a draw with Jon Fitch at UFC 127.
The draw with Fitch was extremely discouraging for Penn, however, who stated immediately following the fight that he thought he had lost and was even considering retirement from the sport.
Penn and Fitch were booked for a rematch at UFC 132, but both men have since dropped off of the card.
We havenโt seen the last of Penn yet, but if he does get his rematch with Fitch and ends up with a one-sided loss; that could very well be the end. Heโs still a huge draw and could make a ton of money in the sport, but Penn is one of the rare fighters who simply wants to be the best.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 40%
6. Matt Lindland
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Age: 40
MMA Debut: 1997
Former Olympic silver medal wrestler, Matt Lindland, was once considered one of the elite middleweights in mixed martial arts.
In fact, he was on such a hot streak in the middleweight division that he even made the move up two weight classes to fight Fedor Emelianenko at heavyweight after fighting Quinton โRampageโ Jackson at light heavyweight. Though he lost both fights, Lindland impressed viewers by going to a split decision with Jackson and even looking good against Fedor.
One big reason that Lindland could be looking at retirement, though, is a complicated medical marijuana lawsuit that he is facing in which he is accused of stealing the drug.
At 40 years old, Lindland is still training and has been working with Jake Shields in his preparation against Georges St-Pierre, but he has lost four of his last six fights and just doesnโt appear to have the elite-level skills that he once did.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 50%
5. Mirko โCro Copโ Filipovic
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Age: 36
MMA Debut: 2001
Itโs tough to put โCro Copโ on this list because he is such an unbelievable fan-favorite, but the former Pride Open-Weight Grand Prix winner has simply not looked like the guy we all remember since he came to the UFC.
His record in the Octagon has now dropped to 4-5 and he has been violently stopped with strikes in four of those five losses.
The performance he put on at UFC 115 against Pat Barry showed that Cro Cop can still be competitive against solid fighters. But like a few other fighters on this list, itโs the way that heโs losing fights that has some fans and experts waving the white flag on the Croationโs career.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 55%
4. Tim Sylvia
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Age: 35
MMA Debut: 2001
Remember when Tim Sylvia was a consensus top-3 heavyweight in the world, and a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion?
It seems like so long ago that the giant from Maine was crushing the competition in the UFC. But thatโs because it was a long time ago. It has been four years since Sylvia was dominated by Randy Couture and he simply has not been the same fighter since.
Sylvia was destroyed in back-to-back contests against Fedor Emelianenko and former boxer, Ray Mercer, before going on a four-fight winning streak. However, that streak was stopped in January when Sylvia suffered a humiliating first-minute knockout to Abe Wagner in January.
Though he made the UFCโs 265 pound limit during his run as champion, Sylvia has now ballooned up to weigh in at 311 pounds for his most recent fight.
As long as heโs still getting paychecks, heโll probably continue fighting. But without him being much of a draw anymore, itโs going to be tough for a lower-level promotion to offer Sylvia enough money.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 60%
3. Andrei Arlovski
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Age: 32
MMA Debut: 1999
As a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Andrei Arlovski has suffered one of the toughest falls from grace in the sportโs history.
After defeating five straight opponents, including top heavyweights Roy Nelson and Fabricio Werdum, Arlovski has since dropped four straight contests, including three by violent knockout.
There is growing concern that Arlovskiโs future health could be in jeopardy with any future knockouts and even his long-time coach and doctors have suggested that he should strongly consider retirement.
There just doesnโt appear to be much left in the tank.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 75%
2. Tito Ortiz
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Age: 36
MMA Debut: 1997
Though he is still one of the most popular fighters in the sport, Tito Ortiz may be clinging onto his future in mixed martial arts, and particularly in the UFC.
As a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Ortiz remains a good draw for the worldโs biggest MMA company and stays employed even though he has a long-document history of heat with UFC President, Dana White.
However, Ortiz is now 0-4-1 in his last five fights in the Octagon and has not earned a victory since defeating Ken Shamrock in October 2006.
Ortiz has long passed the UFCโs vague โthree losses in a row and youโre outโ policy, but may be fighting for his career when he faces Ryan Bader at UFC 132. No one can say that Ortiz hasnโt fought top-level talent, but he probably needs a win to stay employed.
If he does end up getting released from the UFC, there is not likely to be another promotion that would hire Ortiz given his massive contract requirements. It would likely be the end for this former champion.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 80%
1. Randy Couture
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Age: 47
MMA Debut: 1997
One of the true pioneers of the sport, Randy Couture has now claimed on numerous occasions that his fight next Saturday night at UFC 129 will be the last of his career.
Though this would normally be looked at simply as a retirement fight for most competitors, Couture has already announced his retirement two other times prior to this. The first time came after the first and second knockout losses of his career, to Chuck Liddell, in 2005 and 2006.
He would return to the sport to fight Tim Sylvia for the UFC Heavyweight Championship in a battle that he completely dominated against a much larger man. He later knocked out Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 74.
It was months after the fight with Gonzaga that Couture announced his split from the UFC due to contractual issues. He expressed interest in fighting former Pride Heavyweight Champion and the worldโs top-ranked heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, who could not come to a contract agreement with the UFC.
But in September 2008, Couture made his return to the UFC in a loss to Brock Lesnar, also losing his Heavyweight Title in the process.
Couture is on a three-fight win streak headed into UFC 129, but he has made it known that he wants to go out on his own terms and not because he is being pushed out of the sport due to a streak of losses.
Win, lose or draw against Machida; this could be the last time we see โThe Naturalโ in a fight. If it is, it has been an amazing run and one that fans will be telling their children and their childrenโs children about.
Chance of Retirement in the Next Year: 90%
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