The UFC saw a bevy of retirements in 2025. Dominick Cruz, Anthony Smith, Jose Aldo, Dustin Poirier, and Henry Cejudo, were among those who left the sport, and fans felt their absence in the aftermath.
Now, as 2026 looms, those five will be joined by a new cast that will very likely include these names…
Even in as shallow a division as women’s bantamweight, retirements are still commonplace. The latest came in 2025, when Julia Avila laid down her gloves after a loss to Jacqueline Cavalcanti, and an old foe should join her soon.
Miesha Tate followed up her bonus-winning submission of Avila with a layoff of over a year. When she returned in 2025, it was for a decision Yana Santos, and she looked listless most of the time. She will probably fight again in 2026, but she will lose, and that will be it for her career – hopefully for good.
Once upon a time, Colby Covington was the most hated heel in the UFC. He was a foul-mouthed ruffian who hated Brazilian and black fighters and loved Donald Trump. In the cage, his duology against Kamaru Usman is considered one of the best welterweight rivalries of the 21st century.
Since then, however, the former interim champion has become as ineffectual as a heatless heel. A listless performance against then-champion Leon Edwards was followed by a stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley, and he did not fight at all in 2025.
2026 promises more 170-lb “Chaos” given the abundance of contenders, but it is safe to say that Covington will fade away from it and into retirement.
This has been mentioned before, and it bears repeating: Conor McGregor must, and will, fight for the last time of his career in 2026.
The featherweight and lightweight divisions that “The Notorious” once conquered with bravado have moved on. New legends have been created in his absence, and he himself is feeling the toll of not being able to compete at 37 years of age.
Still, regardless of what one thinks of McGregor, that image of him screaming as his leg broke should not be the last memory he leaves inside the Octagon…
Of course, there is one last name to be mentioned here: Jon Jones.
Seven months after retiring Stipe Miocic, the former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion himself exited MMA, only to apparently unretire two months later. Perhaps the allure of competing within the White House excites him, and at least two names make sense: Tom Aspinall and Alex Pereira.
For normality’s sake, however, here is hoping that either of them will represent his last fight…
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
