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Legends of MMA are celebrated in the UFC. Some, during the peak of their careers, ascend to the status of champions. Others came close but stopped just short of enthroning themselves as their division's rulers.
While some all-time greats bid their farewell under ideal circumstances, like Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov, others are not so fortunate. Legends do not always retire on a win, let alone as champions. Instead, many suffered crushing defeats against younger and more skilled foes.
It is now common practice in the UFC for veterans at the tail-end of their careers to be used as stepping stones for younger talents. Unfortunately, this leads to their brutal and sad exit from a sport that once heralded them as great. Such was the case at UFC 281 after Frankie Edgar suffered a vicious KO.
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As the MMA world recovers from the thrill of last Saturday's PPV, this list compiles five UFC legends who had less-than-ideal retirements.
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#5. Ronda Rousey, former UFC women's bantamweight champion
At one point in time, Ronda Rousey radiated an aura of invincibility matched only by Anderson Silva during his peak. The Olympic-level judoka was an undefeated dynamo who finished every single foe she faced. Her grappling was irresistible, and her striking was improving.
Rousey is the first-ever female champion in the UFC and is credited with breaking the traditional barriers for women in the promotion. Prior to her ascension, Dana White infamously swore that women would never fight in the UFC. 'Rowdy' went on to prove him wrong.
The Olympic bronze medalist recorded the fastest-ever title win in UFC women's history. Furthermore, she has the second-most title defenses in UFC women's history. Alas, all good things must come to an end. At UFC 193, Ronda Rousey was dealt a crushing defeat at the hands of Holly Holm.
She was KO'd by a considerable underdog in one of the greatest upsets in MMA history. Unfortunately, 'Rowdy' never recovered. She took a year-long sabbatical from the sport. Additionally, she refused to do any interviews that wanted to delve into her loss.
Eventually, her return came against Amanda Nunes. The loss was brutal as the judoka was TKO'd within 48 seconds of the first round. What makes her exit from the sport unfortunate is that she experienced no decline in skills. Instead, the psychological impact of back-to-back losses proved insurmountable for her.
At the time, she was still at her athletic peak and more than capable of embarking on another title run. But her unwillingness to change gyms and the psychological blow from her first two losses convinced her to do otherwise. Instead, 'Rowdy' opted for a career in pro wrestling, which is poorly regarded in many MMA circles.
#4. Frankie Edgar, former UFC lightweight champion
In his heyday, Frankie Edgar was one of the toughest and most skilled fighters on the roster. A former UFC lightweight champion and two-time featherweight title challenger, he was significantly undersized for 155lbs. Despite his small stature, his run in the lightweight division was unprecedented.
As a 155'er, he captured 15 wins and suffered only three losses. Among the foes he defeated was the legendary B.J. Penn, who many heralded as the greatest-ever lightweight at the time. 'The Answer' is also well-known for his thrilling trilogy against Gray Maynard.
The first bout was a loss, the second a draw, and the third was finally a win. Upon his move to featherweight, the American defeated the likes of Chad Mendes, Charles Oliveira, and Yair Rodriguez. However, as he aged, he was forced to move to bantamweight.
While his debut as a 135'er was positive, his sole win in the division was not a sign of brighter days. 'The Answer', who was once nearly impossible to KO, suffered consecutive knockouts in his next three fights.
At UFC 281, he was KO'd by a flying knee from Chris Gutiérrez in front of his wife and children in his retirement bout.
#3. Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza, former UFC middleweight
Better known as 'Jacare', Ronaldo Souza is one of the greatest grapplers in the promotion's history. He is a fourth-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, multi-time ADCC world champion and IBJJF world champion. Apart from his grappling credentials, 'Jacare' is also a former Strikeforce middleweight titleholder.
While a title fight always eluded him in the promotion, he came very close. The Brazilian legend was at the helm of a five-fight win streak by the time he crossed swords with Yoel Romero. Despite losing the bout via split decision, he didn't lose heart and went on to defeat Vitor Belfort and Chris Weidman.
Unfortunately, his age was beginning to show. The fighter who had twice defeated top contender Derek Brunson was no more. As his career dwindled, 'Jacare' went on his first losing streak, and he never recovered from it. The first two losses were decisions.
However, his final two defeats were as definitive as they could have been. While in a dominant grappling position, the BJJ world champion was KO'd by Kevin Holland from his back. The last of his losses, however, was truly unbecoming of an experienced grappler.
The man who thwarted the efforts of dangerous grapplers like Chris Weidman, Jack Hermansson, and Luke Rockhold, lost via submission to Andre Muniz. It was the first submission loss of 'Jacare's career, and it came against a foe of no renown. He promptly retired from the sport following the loss at UFC 262.
#2. Tyron Woodley, former UFC welterweight champion
Tyron Woodley is a curious case. His decline was sudden. The former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler once reigned supreme over the 170lbs weight class. After capturing the world championship from Robbie Lawler, he embarked on an unbeaten run.
His first title defense was a draw against Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson. However, his second title defense was a majority decision win over the same opponent. He added to his title-defense record by defeating world-class BJJ specialist Demian Maia and the then-undefeated kickboxer Darren Till.
'The Chosen One' proclaimed himself the greatest welterweight in history, with some parroting his claims. Joe Rogan himself described Tyron Woodley as one of the best welterweights of all time. So, after he lost the 170lbs title in a lopsided defeat against Kamaru Usman, it was a shocking state of affairs.
It was doubly shocking when 'The Chosen One' again lost all five rounds in his next bout, this time against Gilbert Burns. The pattern repeated itself with another lopsided loss to Colby Covington, against whom he suffered a broken rib in the final round leading to a doctor stoppage.
Suddenly, the all-time great welterweight was on a three-fight losing streak. He had lost 15 consecutive rounds.
His final MMA bout came against Vicente Luque in March 2021. Tyron Woodley, who had never been submitted in his 27 fights, lost the matchup via Brabo choke. While he never officially retired, 'The Chosen One' is yet to compete in MMA since.
After losing to Jake Paul twice in the boxing ring, Woodley's interest seems firmly set on boxing YouTubers. He is currently trying to book a matchup with KSI. Given that he is set for his 41st birthday early next year, a return to MMA is unlikely.
#1. Donald Cerrone, former UFC lightweight
Beloved by both fans and Dana White, Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone was once the most exciting fighter on the UFC roster. While he never captured a title in either the UFC or WEC, he broke and set countless records. Known for fighting frequently, 'Cowboy' fought five times back in 2011.
He often fought four times per year, having done so in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019. Throughout his career, he defeated former and future champions like Benson Henderson, Charles Oliveira and Eddie Alvarez. Alas, a world title always eluded him.
Even still, he was a record-holder who once owned the record of most wins in the promotion's history. While he is now only tied for the second-most wins and second-most submission wins in UFC history, he holds other accolades. He still retains the most knockdowns and post-fight bonuses in the promotion.
Unfortunately, 'Cowboy's legendary run came to a disheartening end. The one-time UFC title challenger went on a seven-fight winless streak, with six losses (five finishes) and one no-contest. After losing to Jim Miller earlier this year, Donald Cerrone retired. His last win came three years ago in 2019.
