2025 MMA Retirement Countdown: Top Fighters Hanging Up Their Gloves

(This story was updated to add new information.)

MMA is a constantly evolving sport with a revolving door of athletes entering and exiting. Currently, fighters from the era who helped make the sport so popular are beginning to trickle away from competition and hang up their gloves in order to move on to the next chapter in life.

If there’s one thing that’s well known about combat sports retirements, though, it’s that they often don’t last long. The urge to compete, and perhaps more importantly get a payday, will continue to drive fighters back even well beyond their expiration dates.

2025 already has seen a number of notable fighters announcing they are done with the sport, and we have a list of those who have opted to walk away this year ( the list will update as new retirements are announced ).

Dominick Cruz

• MMA debut date: Jan. 29, 2005
• Retirement date: Feb. 6, 2025
• Age: 39
• Record: 24-4
• Notable wins: Urijah Faber, T.J. Dillashaw, Demetrious Johnson, Joseph Benavidez
• Source: Social media announcement

Bill Algeo

• MMA debut date: June 1, 2012
• Retirement date: Feb. 11, 2025
• Age: 35
• Record: 18-9
• Notable wins: Alexander Hernandez, Joanderson Brito, Herbert Burns
• Source: Social media announcement

Julia Avila

• MMA debut date: Jan. 27, 2012
• Retirement date: Feb. 15, 2025
• Age: 36
• Record: 9-4
• Notable wins: Pannie Kianzad, Nicco Montano
• Source: UFC Fight Night 251 broadcast

Joe Solecki

• MMA debut date: Oct. 29, 2016
• Retirement date: Feb. 17, 2025
• Age: 31
• Record: 13-6
• Notable wins: Jim Miller, Matt Wiman, Austin Hubbard
• Source: Social media announcement

Bibiano Fernandes

• MMA debut date: Oct. 23, 2004
• Retirement date: Feb. 20, 2025
• Age: 44
• Record: 25-6
• Notable wins: Kevin Belington, Joachim Hansen, Joe Warren
• Source: ONE Championship 171 broadcast

Martin Nguyen

• MMA debut date: July 28, 2012
• Retirement date: Feb. 20, 2025
• Age: 35
• Record: 15-7
• Notable wins: Christian Lee, Eduard Folayang, Marat Gafurov
• Source: ONE Championship 171 broadcast

Jalin Turner

• MMA debut date: Feb. 20, 2016
• Retirement date: March 8, 2025
• Age: 29
• Record: 14-9
• Notable wins: Bobby Green, Brad Riddell
• Source: UFC 313 cageside announcement

Molly McCann

• MMA debut date: May 30, 2015
• Retirement date: March 22, 2025
• Age: 34
• Record: 14-8
• Notable wins: Diana Belbita (twice), Hannah Goldy, Ariane Lipski, Priscila Cachoeira
• Source: UFC Fight Night 255 in-cage announcement

Antonina Shevchenko

• MMA debut date: April 15, 2002
• Retirement date: March 27, 2025
• Age: 40
• Record: 10-4
• Notable wins: Ariane da Silva, Ji Yeon Kim, Cortney Casey
• Source: Social media announcement

Jared Gooden

• MMA debut date: Aug. 8, 2015
• Retirement date: March 31, 2025
• Age: 31
• Record: 23-11
• Notable wins: Wellington Turman, Curtis Millender
• Source: Social media announcement

Diana Belbita

• MMA debut date: April 5, 2014
• Retirement date: April 8, 2025
• Age: 28
• Record: 15-10
• Notable wins: Hannah Goldy, Maria Oliveira
• Source: Social media announcement

Anthony Smith

• MMA debut date: Feb. 29, 2008
• Retirement date: April 27, 2025
• Age: 36
• Record: 38-22
• Notable wins: Alexander Gustafsson, Mauricio Rua, Rashad Evans, Volkan Oezdemir, Hector Lombard
• Source: In-cage announcement at UFC on ESPN 66

Vinc Pichel

• MMA debut date: Aug. 15, 2009
• Retirement date: April 28, 2025
• Age: 42
• Record: 14-5
• Notable wins: Jim Miller
• Source: Social media announcement

Dan Argueta

• MMA debut date: May 3, 2019
• Retirement date: April 29, 2025
• Age: 31
• Record: 9-3 with two no contests
• Notable wins: Jim Miller
• Source: Social media announcement

Marina Rodriguez

• MMA debut date: March 28, 2015
• Retirement date: May 3, 2025
• Age: 38
• Record: 18-6-2
• Notable wins: Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Yan Xiaonan, Mackenzie Dern, Amanda Ribas
• Source: UFC on ESPN 67 broadcast

Kyle Stewart

• MMA debut date: May 19, 2012
• Retirement date: May 3, 2025
• Age: 36
• Record: 15-7
• Notable wins: Jason Jackson, Estevan Payan
• Source: Social media announcement

Jose Aldo

• MMA debut date: Aug. 10, 2004
• Retirement date: May 10, 2025 (first was Sept. 18, 2022
• Age: 38
• Record: 32-10
• Notable wins: Marlon Vera, Renato Moicano, Frankie Edgar (twice), Chad Mendes (twice), Ricardo Lamas, Chan Sung Jung, Urijah Faber (WEC)
• Source: In-cage announcement after loss

Claressa Shields

• MMA debut date: June 10, 2021
• Retirement date: May 19, 2025
• Age: 30
• Record: 2-1
• Notable wins: None
• Source: Interview with Uncrowned

Chris Wade

• MMA debut date: Nov. 18, 2011
• Retirement date: June 9, 2025
• Age: 37
• Record: 23-10
• Notable wins: Lance Palmer, Bubba Jenkins
• Source: Social media post

Bojan Velickovic

• MMA debut date: Aug. 28, 2010
• Retirement date: June 14, 2025
• Age: 36
• Record: 25-13-2
• Notable wins: Carlo Prater, Alessio Di Chirrico
• Source: Social media post

Jon Jones

• MMA debut date: April 12, 2008
• Retirement date: June 21, 2025
• Age: 37
• Record: 28-1
• Notable wins: Stipe Miocic, Ciryl Gane, Alexander Gustafsson (twice), Daniel Cormier
• Source: Dana White announcement

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: 2025 MMA retirement tracker: A list of those who hung up the gloves