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The UFC is home to some of the toughest athletes in the world. Sadly, it is often said that athletes are typically the last ones to realize they should retire from the sport they've dedicated their lives to. Whenever fans and media members alike are both calling for athletes to consider retirement, athletes are always the most adamant about prolonging their stay.
Fighters are no different. Perhaps they are worse given the amount of pride that goes into a combat sports career. It is difficult for fighters to admit when they're no longer as good as they remember, least of all when they were once world champions who were feared by the divisions over which they ruled. Though in some ways, facing the prospect of retirement without ever having won a world championship might be a tougher pill for fighters to swallow.
One such fighter is Alexander Gustafsson, whose recent loss to Nikita Krylov at UFC London has led to calls for the Swede to retire. This list looks at four other fighters, alongside Gustafsson himself, who should consider hanging up their gloves.
#5. Miesha Tate - Former UFC women's bantamweight champion
Former UFC women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate is a pioneer in women's MMA. She is best known for her personal feud with UFC legend Ronda Rousey, whom Tate fought twice. While championship success in the UFC eluded her during Rousey's reign as the undisputed queen of the 135lb weight class, a glimmer of hope emerged when her longtime nemesis finally lost to Holly Holm.
It was the first time in the history of the women's bantamweight division that someone other than Rousey was the champion. Riding a four-fight win streak at the time, Tate faced Holm at UFC 196, shocking the world by choking her foe unconscious in the fifth round after losing every preceding frame.
Unfortunately for 'Cupcake', she would not be a defending champion, losing her title to Amanda Nunes in her subsequent bout before losing to Raquel Pennington to go 0-2 since becoming a champion. The fight took place in 2016, and Tate made her first retirement before returning five years later, successfully defeating Marion Reneau.
However, the win was not a sign of things to come, as Tate lost her next two bouts, the last of which was against Lauren Murphy, who is 38 years old, in a failed flyweight debut.
At 35 years old with her only win since her return coming against Marian Reneau, who is 45 years old and retired after losing her last five fights, Tate's prospects for her MMA future are bleak, at best.
#4. Joe Lauzon - UFC lightweight
Not many MMA fighters are deserving of being labeled legends in the sport. Joe Lauzon is one of those fighters.
When he was at the peak of his powers, Lauzon was an exciting action fighter with the third-most post-fight bonuses in UFC history. The only fighters ahead of him are Donald Cerrone, who owns the most wins in UFC history, and Charles Oliveira, who owns the most finishes in UFC history.
Unfortunately, those days are relics of the past. Lauzon has not been on a win streak since 2014 and is currently 1-4 in his last five fights. Furthermore, 'J-Lau' is 38 years old. The number of times a final matchup with Donald Cerrone has collapsed due to both fighters suffering from injuries is a sign that Lauzon ought to consider retirement.
He has not fought since 2019 and has nothing to gain from returning for another bout. He is better off retiring to avoid unnecessary damage as he nears his 40th birthday, while owning a legacy that will undoubtedly earn him a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.
#3. Stephen Thompson - UFC welterweight
Once upon a time, Stephen Thompson was a strong candidate to be considered the best striker in MMA. Unfortunately, the former welterweight title challenger has lost a step the more he's aged.
He is no longer the same quick counter-striker who uses a bladed karate stance to dip in and out of range while alternatively flattening out his stance to avoid being backed up to the fence.
While his skill-set remains true to its technical roots, 'Wonderboy' has lost his speed and consequently his timing. The timing and distance management he once used to keep himself from overexposing his hips failed to stop the takedowns of Gilbert Burns. Additionally, his reaction following his lopsided loss to Belal Muhammad last December was very telling.
Thompson complained about his foes only being interested in wrestling him. The moment a fighter expresses frustration over a gameplan their opponents are utilizing to great effect is the moment the fighter in question has unknowingly admitted they have no answers.
At 39 years old, 'Wonderboy' is not going to get any better as Father Time advances and the losses accumulate in a division teeming with wrestlers.
#2. Holly Holm - Former UFC women's bantamweight champion
After her dominant victory at UFC 193, Holly Holm was the undefeated women's bantamweight champion. She had just stunned the world by defeating Ronda Rousey in one of the most shocking upsets in the promotion's history, with many fans convinced she was set for a long reign as the divisional queen. Unfortunately, their expectations were dashed soon afterward.
Holm faced Miesha Tate at UFC 196, picking 'Cupcake' apart for four rounds before surrendering a takedown en route to a rear-naked choke loss and relinquishing the championship belt she hadn't held for even a year.
Just one fight after handing Rousey the first loss of her professional MMA career, Holm herself suffered the first loss of her own MMA career to a rival of Rousey's, no less.
The loss led to a downward spiral in Holm's career. In the seven fights after defeating Rousey, Holm went 2-5 before finally amassing a win streak. Alas, that lasted no more than two fights before she lost an uneventful bout to Ketlen Vieira in a matchup where Holm's speed and footwork were nowhere to be found.
With her 41st birthday mere months away and little prospect of recapturing the title, Holm would be wise to consider retirement considering the number of losses she's accumulated in recent years as she ages.
#1. Alexander Gustafsson - UFC light heavyweight
Alexander 'The Mauler' Gustafsson has never captured a world championship in the octagon despite challenging for it twice. The light heavyweight contender is best known for his entertaining wars with Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier. While Gustafsson has always been a determined fighter with a wealth of self-belief, he is on an evident decline.
The Swede is 35 years old and 0-4 in his last four fights. While the combination of his age and losing streak is concerning, so is the context of his losses. His losing streak includes a defeat to Anthony Smith. 'Lionheart', while a strong fighter, is 36-16 and will likely not go down as am elite mixed martial artist or championship-caliber fighter.
Furthermore, his most recent loss came against Nikita Krylov. Krylov is neither the most powerful puncher in the world nor so skilled that anyone expected him to run through Gustafsson the way he did. Yet, 'The Miner' needed no more than a minute and seven seconds to knock the Swede unconscious.
With all four of his losses coming by way of knockout or submission, the 35-year-old is at a crossroads in his career, with retirement a better option than taking unnecessary damage when his championship prospects no longer exist.
