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UFC fighters compete in an unforgiving sport. Mixed martial artists have a short shelf-life. Like many athletes, they retire fairly early compared to the retirement age found in other occupations. Unfortunately, retirements in MMA rarely have perfect endings to a storied career.
Very few fighters retire in the same manner that Khabib Nurmagomedov did: undefeated and as the reigning champion in his division. Instead, most retirements are necessary endings to careers that have overstayed their welcome. Oftentimes, UFC fighters embark on losing streaks before considering retirement.
While no one would dispute the logic of retiring before a great decline happens, some retired fighters are still very capable of competing alongside the current roster. With Henry Cejudo expected to make his return to the octagon, this list looks at five other retired UFC fighters who could still be successful in the cage.
#5. Cain Velasquez, retired UFC heavyweight
Cain Velasquez is one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history. The AKA standout is a former titleholder in the promotion's 265 lbs division. In his heyday, the former champion was well-known for his bottomless gas tank and high-octane offense. He was an exceptional wrestler and a fearsome striker.
Velasquez made great use of the clinch, often securing single collar-ties while tugging his opponent's head into the path of hard short uppercuts. Furthermore, once he trapped his foes against the fence, he frequently shoved the top of his head against their chin to break their posture.
This exposed them to his dirty boxing whenever he threatened them with takedown attempts. This approach allowed him to dictate the pace of nearly every bout and forced his opponents to wilt under immense pressure. His natural speed advantage was also invaluable.
His skill set would have worked wonders in the current heavyweight division. Today, the 265 lbs weight class is devoid of a deep pool of elite fighters. Velasquez's career was only derailed by injury plagues. Were he still an active fighter, he'd have found success against the current crop of heavyweights.
#4. José Aldo, retired UFC bantamweight
While he achieved his greatest career heights as a featherweight, José Aldo ended his time as a mixed martial artist in the bantamweight division. As the first featherweight champion in UFC history, 'Scarface' had a legendary run in the promotion. He remains the best-ever anti-wrestler in MMA.
The moment a wrestler shot in for a takedown, Aldo secured an overhook on one of their arms and turned his body sidewards. He subsequently shoved the wrestler's head down to his ankle before hopping out of their grasp. Not only was it nearly impossible to outwrestle him, but it was also risky to strike with him.
Even in the end, he remained an explosive striker with the best low kicks in MMA. To land his low kicks, 'Scarface' threw a combination to force his foes to step backward, rendering them unable to check his kicks. He would then turn his hip into a kick for additional power without telegraphing his intent.
Towards the end of his career, he had three wins and only one loss in his final four fights. While he might not have it in him to capture the title at bantamweight, he still has enough left in the tank to be a top-five or even top-three threat.
#3. Daniel Cormier, retired UFC heavyweight
The heavyweight division is one of the shallowest weight classes in the UFC. It has a lower level of technique compared to most of the promotion's other divisions. There are no strong wrestlers in the heavyweight top ten other than Curtis Blaydes and Stipe Miocic.
Daniel Cormier, a former heavyweight titleholder, is one of the very best wrestlers to have ever signed with the UFC. He is a former Olympian whose wrestling skills led to him being an undefeated fighter for most of his career. Derrick Lewis is currently the seventh-ranked 265'er in the division.
'DC' managed to outwrestle him with a preexisting back injury. This is especially notable given that 'The Black Beast' simply stands up after anyone takes him down. This, however, was not the case when he and Cormier clashed. Additionally, 'DC's' striking style is designed to punish taller foes who try to use their reach.
Cormier fights with both his arms extended forward. This enabled him to counter a taller opponent's jab by trapping their jabbing hands with his own before throwing a looping counterpunch over the top. In a division as shallow as 265 lbs, 'DC' would still be a successful heavyweight.
#2. Zabit Magomedsharipov, former UFC featherweight
Zabit Magomedsharipov is one of the biggest 'what ifs' in MMA history. He retired before fulfilling his destiny as a champion. During his time as a fighter, he used a mobile stance by keeping his feet light and standing on the balls of his feet. But as much as his stance-switching was slick, it was his creativity that stood out.
When the Russian dynamo made his UFC debut, he faced Mike Santiago. The bout ended with a rear-naked choke in the second round. During that fight, Magomedsharipov showcased his legendary creativity. Before securing a rear-naked choke, the former featherweight threw a round kick.
Unfortunately, Santiago caught the kick and tried to use his foe's captured leg to set up a single-leg takedown. He pushed Magomedsharipov backward to undercut his balance. In response, the Russian phenom used his free leg to jump into a flying knee that smashed his foe as he ducked for a takedown.
This level of creativity, coupled with his other attributes, convinced many observers that Magomedsharipov was a champion in the making. He had it all in terms of skill: wrestling, grappling, and striking. This skill set enabled him to defeat Calvin Kattar in his final UFC appearance.
#1. Khabib Nurmagomedov, retired UFC lightweight
Great athletes make for impressive sights inside the octagon. But great athletes with a high level of skill are rare gems. Khabib Nurmagomedov is one such fighter. The former UFC lightweight champion is brutally strong and possesses some of the best cardio in his former division.
Furthermore, he is also deceptively powerful and explosive. More than that, however, he is freakishly fast. One only needs to look at the speed of his first takedown shot against Conor McGregor at UFC 229. But it was his skill level that launched him into an untouched stratosphere.
'The Eagle' was described by former foe Dustin Poirier as being a step ahead of him in every grappling sequence. He popularized the use of cage wrestling with chaining takedowns against the fence. It is a formula that no one has managed to stop, whether against him or his protege Islam Makhachev.
As the only former UFC champion to retire undefeated with dominant wins over the number two and three-ranked 155'ers in the world, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, 'The Eagle' is still fully capable of reigning over the division.
