"This s**t stops and you feel it"- Kamaru Usman and Joe Rogan talk about the sad and anticlimactic end to the career of an MMA fighter

Kamaru Usman and veteran UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently discussed the sad and anticlimactic end to the career of an MMA fighter.

Speaking to Usman on the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast, Rogan notably opined that combat sports athletes experience some of their life’s greatest moments during their fighting careers. He recalled Usman’s iconic KO win over Jorge Masvidal in April 2021.

Rogan suggested that fighters like Usman are among the rarest individuals in the world who experience such “extreme moments.” He added, however, that they’re unlikely to experience such moments after retiring.

Moreover, Rogan and Usman agreed that fighters like him – who relentlessly pursue excellence every day – have a hard time transitioning to life as a retired athlete. Usman indicated that he’s well aware of the depression that sets in when a fighter retires.

Usman insinuated that the low moments in a fighter’s career are exacerbated by losses. When asked if he feels his recent KO loss against Leon Edwards could help elevate him to another level, Usman stated:

“One thousand percent. Everything is a lesson for me. I’m just blessed to be able to still be able to do it. And I talk to my friends, which I consider like big brothers – Daniel Cormier and these guys.”

He added:

“And Daniel is like, ‘Yo, when you stop, this s**t stops. It just stops. And you feel it ‘cause as an elite athlete, you feel that.’ And I think some of these guys are still chasing that. I mean, Conor [McGregor] is still chasing that. He loves that feeling, which, you know, more power to him if he can still get there.”

Watch Usman discuss the topic at 0:17 in the video below:

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Kamaru Usman on retirement and a potential next chapter in his career

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will look to avenge his loss to UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards in a trilogy matchup that'll likely transpire in early 2023. It's believed that despite already having accomplished so much in his career, Usman is unlikely to retire in the immediate future.

That said, earlier this year, Kamaru Usman admitted that he can’t keep fighting forever. Speaking to MMA Underground, the then-UFC welterweight kingpin claimed that working as an MMA analyst – as he’s previously done for the Eagle FC MMA promotion – is a career option for him after he retires.

"This is a next chapter because I don't wanna get punched in the face forever. At some point, you have to transition into something else. This is, you know, a way for me to still stay in the sport."

Watch Kamaru Usman’s interview below: