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UFC fighters know that their days at the top are numbered and there will come a point when they realize their best years have passed them by. When that happens, it's suddenly time to hang up their gloves.
The fight game takes an immense toll on the minds and bodies of fighters and their careers are often shortlived in comparison to athletes from other sports.
The question UFC fighters often struggle with is when is the right time to retire? Due to the violent nature of the sport, fighters usually absorb a lot of damage over the years and after a point, call time on their professional careers to avoid risking permanent damage.
While some fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Georges St-Pierre are smart enough to walk out while still on top, there are others who end up over-stretching their careers.
There are also fighters who've accomplished their goals in the promotion and have nothing more to look forward to, as well as those who can no longer achieve their goals. Some fighters even lose the motivation to undergo rigorous training to keep themselves in peak condition after amassing a lot of wealth.
Heading into a new calendar year full of high octane UFC fights, let's take a look at five fighters who might pull down the curtains on their careers in 2022.
#5. Jorge Masvidal - UFC welterweight
UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal is one of the most popular fighters today. After resurrecting his career with a spectacular knockout victory against Darren Till, 'Gamebred' finally started getting the attention he always deserved.
Masvidal's popularity shot through the roof when he knocked Ben Askren out cold with a flying knee in just five seconds, registering the fastest KO in UFC history. 'Gamebred' then famously stopped Nate Diaz via TKO (doctor's stoppage) in their 'BMF' title fight at UFC 244.
Since then, however, Masvidal's career has hit a downhill slide. The Miami native fought Kamaru Usman for the title on short notice at UFC 251, stepping in as a late replacement for Gilbert Burns.
Usman completely stifled Masvidal's striking in the fight with his dominant wrestling. After five rounds, Usman was declared the winner via unanimous decision.
At UFC 261, Usman gave Masvidal a second crack at the title, this time with a full fight camp behind him. While 'Gamebred' seemed confident heading into the rematch, he found out why Usman is nicknamed 'The Nigerian Nightmare.'
In the second round, Usman knocked Masvidal out cold with a devastating right hand.
With back-to-back title fight losses, it seems like Masvidal won't get another title shot as long as Usman remains champion. He could fight Colby Covington in a grudge match, something that would certainly intrigue fans, but even winning that fight wouldn't land him another title shot.
Masvidal may even seek newer pastures inside the boxing ring, as Jake Paul has been calling him out of late. A big paycheck to take on 'The Problem Child' is an opportunity Masvidal would likely relish. To do that, however, he must first part ways with the UFC.
At 37, Masvidal isn't getting any younger and already has 50 fights under his belt. He has made a lot of money from the sport and the knockout he suffered against Usman must've taken a lot out of his chin, which had already taken some punishment over the years.
As far as MMA is concerned, it may be time for Masvidal to walk off into the sunset. He should probably take the money fight against Paul, grab that paycheck and then shift his focus to the various other ventures he has his hands in.
#4. Nate Diaz - UFC welterweight
Nate Diaz is one of the most popular stars in the UFC right now and his fights always attract eyeballs across the globe. But with just one fight remaining on his contract and the Stockton native seemingly reluctant to extend it further, it seems like he's close to the end of his career as a professional fighter.
Diaz has also been linked with a potential crossover boxing match with Jake Paul down the line. The 36-year-old previously expressed interest in a potential clash with Paul and it seems like a smart move for him going forward. The southpaw has lost three out of his last four fights and surely doesn't have title ambitions at the moment.
With just one fight left on his contract, Nate Diaz will be looking to go out with a bang for sure. With Conor McGregor expected to return next summer, we may see Diaz settle his rivalry with the Irishman in a trilogy fight before he calls time on his career.
#3. Conor McGregor - UFC lightweight
If there's one man in the UFC who definitely doesn't need to continue fighting for the sake of money, it has to be Conor McGregor. The former two-division UFC champion has been the highest paid fighter in the promotion for a while now. He's the only MMA fighter to bag a $100 million payday for boxing Floyd Mayweather.
Earlier this year, McGregor sold a majority stake in his Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey brand to Proximo Spirits for a whopping $600 million. Thanks to that and several other ventures, he earned top spot on Forbes' highest-paid athletes list. So money definitely isn't the driving factor behind McGregor's decision to continue fighting anymore.
McGregor does have the hunger and motivation to become a world champion again. But the question remains, is he still good enough?
Earlier this year, Conor McGregor stepped inside the octagon twice, once in January and then again in July. On both occasions, he tasted bitter defeats at the hands of a man he'd beaten in the past. At UFC 257, McGregor tasted his first-ever knockout loss at the hands of Dustin Poirier.
At UFC 264, the Irishman suffered a clean break of his tibia and fibula, which put him on the sidelines for the remainder of the year. McGregor is still recovering from the injury and hasn't started MMA training yet. He is expected to return sometime in 2022.
While his fans would love to see the Irishman back inside the cage, will he ever be the same fighter again? His movement is likely to be slower than in the past and his opponents will be looking to cause further damage to the leg in fights.
McGregor was knocked out back in January and took a lot of punishment against Poirier in their trilogy fight before breaking his leg. One has to wonder if his chin can continue to sustain such severe damage going forward.
With back-to-back losses in 2021, McGregor is starting to lose some of that aura that propelled him to superstardom in the first place. Another loss upon his imminent return, if there is one, could probably be the end of his career as a professional fighter.
#2. Tony Ferguson - UFC lightweight
It is really unfortunate that Tony Ferguson never fought for the undisputed UFC lightweight title. For the longest time, 'El Cucuy' has been widely regarded as one of the most dangerous 155lbers on the planet.
Before facing Justin Gaethje at UFC 249 last year, Ferguson was on an incredible 12-fight winning streak inside the octagon. Everything changed, however, once he fought 'The Highlight'. Gaethje did a demolition job on Ferguson at UFC 249, severely punishing 'El Cucuy' until the referee stopped the fight in the fifth round.
Since then, Ferguson has gone on to compete twice against Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. He ended up not just losing both fights but getting thoroughly dominated, failing to mount any sort of offense.
While Ferguson remains positive about turning things around in 2022, can he really do so?
Ferguson's ability to take hits comes at a price. Over the years, 'El Cucuy' has absorbed some serious damage due to his tendency to keep moving forward in fights. At 37, Ferguson isn't getting any younger and his chin must have weakened after being put to the test time and time again over the years.
On a three-fight losing skid, Ferguson finds his back against the wall and must pick up a win in his next fight to stay relevant in the lightweight division. If he fails to win in his next outing, it may very well be the last time we see Ferguson inside the octagon.
#1. Donald Cerrone - UFC welterweight
With 54 fights under his belt, Donald Cerrone is a future UFC Hall-of-Famer and one of the most experienced, as well as celebrated, fighters on the current UFC roster. The 38-year-old holds the record for most wins, as well as most finishes, in UFC history.
However, those feats now seem like a distant memory as Cerrone has been on a six-fight winless streak recently.
Of late, Cerrone's looked far removed from the prolific striker he once was and has been susceptible to getting hit very often in fights. It seems that all the wear and tear over the years has finally gotten to him and it may be time for him to hang up his gloves before he ends up seriously injuring himself.
Cerrone is expected to compete inside the octagon for the last time in 2022. Win or lose, it will likely be the end of the road for 'Cowboy's UFC career. Even if he wins, it may be ideal for Cerrone to walk into the sunset with his head held high instead of continuing to compete in other promotions.
