'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Fighting in one of the greatest MMA promotions in the world like the UFC is bound to exact a heavy toll on fighters. Keeping that in mind, retirement is an ax that perennially hangs over the heads of a number of athletes in the UFC.
Fighters put their minds, bodies, and souls into the pursuit of glory inside the octagon. However, many fail to reach the kind of stardom that they dream of. The fighters on this list, though, managed to retain their position in the mainstream MMA environment even after their fighting careers ended.
Fighters like Conor McGregor work to ensure a certain quality of life after their prime. On the other end of the spectrum, however, are fighters like Sarah Alpar who have to rely on the kindness of strangers on the internet and start GoFundMe pages to help make ends meet.
While some fighters are unable to deal with the pressures of life after the UFC, some have managed to earn a significant amount of success. In this article, we take a look at five such fighters who managed to enjoy significant success after their retirement from active competition inside the octagon.
#5. Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping's success continued following his retirement in 2018. The nature of his retirement was rather gruesome as he suffered a brutal knockout at the hands of Kelvin Gastelum. However, that has not stopped him from striving for greatness in his retirement.
Michael Bisping has positioned himself as a veteran and pundit of the sport. His opinion, naturally, has a lot of weight. He has won the trust of the UFC, earning him the opportunity to call fights, conduct octagon interviews, and offer pre and post-fight analysis.
What's more, Michael Bisping has managed to accrue a legion of followers with the help of his popular podcast, 'Believe You Me'. He regularly posts videos, discussing all things MMA and UFC on his YouTube channel. With all this, Michael Bisping has managed to retain his significance in the modern MMA landscape.
#4. Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub
It was during a sit-down with UFC color commentator Joe Rogan on his extremely popular podcast 'Joe Rogan Experience' that Brendan Schaub declared his retirement. He revealed that his fight against Travis Browne at UFC 181 in 2014 was his last outing inside the octagon.
Schaub cited the UFC's apparel deal with Reebok as a deal-breaker. He believed he could enjoy more success from his business ventures outside of the promotion.
He saw opportunities in the entertainment industry as an alternative to fighting.
He subsequently went on to record several shows as a stand-up comic. Schaub released his first comedy special titled 'You'd Be Surprised' in 2019. He also struck a partnership with Bryan Callen in addition to his solo stand-up comedy.
He subsequently bolstered their relationship by setting up a podcast as co-hosts. The podcast was titled 'The Fighter and the Kid', episodes of which air to this day on YouTube.
#3. Former UFC women's bantamweight Ronda Rousey
As a pioneer in the field of women's MMA, Ronda Rousey did more than just compete in the UFC. She, alongside the likes of Cris Cyborg and Gina Carano, paved the way for women's MMA.
Although Rousey never officially hung her gloves up for good, she has been away from the octagon for quite some time. UFC 207 in December 2016 saw Rousey compete for the last time against a surging Amanda Nunes.
She has since moved into the entertainment business, featuring in a number of films like The Expendables 3, Fast and The Furious 7, Charlie's Angels and more. She also enjoyed a significant amount of success in WWE, winning the RAW Women's Championship in 2018.
#2. Former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier
In the aftermath of his second loss to Stipe Miocic at UFC 252, Daniel Cormier revealed that he was walking away from the sport for good.
Since his retirement, Daniel Cormier has gone on to earn a lot of fame and success from multiple business ventures. 'DC' has positioned himself as the UFC's go-to analyst and commentator.
Daniel Cormier is also co-host of an ESPN show alongside former Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark. The two offer fans some deep insight into the fight world, among other things. The show most recently hosted one of the most popular fighters in the world, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
#1. Former UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov is popularly hailed as one of the greatest fighters ever to have fought inside the octagon.
The Dagestani phenom hung his gloves up for good after overcoming the challenge presented by Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020. 'The Eagle' recorded a win by way of submission in the second round.
Khabib bowed out of the octagon with a perfect 29-0 record and a 13-0 UFC record. After his father's death in July 2020, 'The Eagle' revealed that he was unwilling to compete inside the octagon without his father.
However, it seems like he has found a way to stay in touch with the sport he loves by setting up a promotion of his own, Eagle Fighting Championship.
The former lightweight champion acquired a Russian promotion called Gorilla Fight Championship for $1M and rebranded it to Eagle Fighting Championship. The promotion and Khabib have enjoyed a significant amount of success ever since its inception.
