Biggest premature retirements in mma

[chaos_36]

Dave Terrell was a huge one. He was hyped so much back in the day, came in starched Lindland and looked like an absolute killer then just kinda faded into obscurity almost as quickly as he came in. It was weird, the whole scrap pack talked about him like he was the second coming and then it just didn't pan out that way.

 

[smiles mma]

Jeremy “half man half amazing” Williams
Professional boxer with 49 fights (holds record for fastest KO in history, and most KO’s in amateur boxing history with 101 I believe). Entered MMA and went undefeated before retiring when Chuck was champ. He was offered a spot on TuF and felt like it was disrespectful since he was making hundreds of thousands in boxing and wanted a top contender entry fight in the UFC. Negotiations broke down and he ended up going back to boxing. Also should add that he was a state wrestling champ in HS and was a main sparring partner for fighters like Couture and Rampage and I’ve seen him day in day out just demolish everyone on the feet. Plus his wrestling and Bjj were pretty solid as well. UFC LHW division would have been lucky to have him at that time.

Almost 40 year old fighting regional fights probably wasn't what UFC was looking to invest in at that time.
If he could have got in he could have made waves tho

 

[akproplayer]

BJ Penn

I agree, he was a couple good camps away from a belt.

 

[wolfss]

Jeremy “half man half amazing” Williams
Professional boxer with 49 fights (holds record for fastest KO in history, and most KO’s in amateur boxing history with 101 I believe). Entered MMA and went undefeated before retiring when Chuck was champ. He was offered a spot on TuF and felt like it was disrespectful since he was making hundreds of thousands in boxing and wanted a top contender entry fight in the UFC. Negotiations broke down and he ended up going back to boxing. Also should add that he was a state wrestling champ in HS and was a main sparring partner for fighters like Couture and Rampage and I’ve seen him day in day out just demolish everyone on the feet. Plus his wrestling and Bjj were pretty solid as well. UFC LHW division would have been lucky to have him at that time.

Nah the fundamentals in boxing don’t translate well into mma

 

[Huligani]

CCC

 

[cookdaddy]

Chad Corvin. Young heavyweight prospect that was signed by the UFC but never fought due to a medical condition that unfortunately made him retire.

https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2010...ract-but-debut-in-limbo-due-to-medical-issues

 

[jeff7b9]

Can't believe nobody has posted:

I think he would have done very well in the cage if he had his heart in it (and didn't take too many vitamins).

 

[filthynumber1]

The guy who retired because he was not making enough money way back in the day

Philip miller 16-0

 

[laleggenda27]

I don't think these have been mentioned yet:

Dustin Hazelett - last fight at 24.
Jimmy Hettes - last fight at 27.

 

[BodybagJohnny**]

Joe Son

 

[dildos]

meh, zabit was never that good.

tj grant had like concussion issues from training...

khabib takes the cake imo.

 

[Franklin U.]

Khabib will always be poster child for this topic for me . I say because he couldve went on to possibly be " thee goat " as he checked all the boxes as a clean fighter .Instead he retires and all he gets is being one of the best lightweights to have fought . If I was a nurmagomedov supporter/ fan- itd make me crazy.

 

[dildos]

Khabib will always be poster child for this topic for me . I say because he couldve went on to possibly be " thee goat " as he checked all the boxes as a clean fighter .Instead he retires and all he gets is being one of the best lightweights to have fought . If I was a nurmagomedov supporter/ fan- itd make me crazy.

motivated bj would have killed khabib.

there is no doubt about that.

 

[Franklin U.]

motivated bj would have killed khabib.

there is no doubt about that.

I love Penn but khabib ( unlike heavier weights) fought in era where 155ers were huge and complete( and still currently on mma timeline).

I'd love to see that particular prime vs prime fight .

 

[MMABr]

Stun Gun Kim.

What happened to him?

 

[dildos]

I love Penn but khabib ( unlike heavier weights) fought in era where 155ers were huge and complete( and still currently on mma timeline).

I'd love to see that particular prime vs prime fight .

More than that fight I’d have loved to seen Saku vs BJ back in the day. Open weight or ww.

sure Saku never cut to ww but he would have made it easy.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

Stun Gun Kim.

What happened to him?

got famous in Korea and became a tv personality

 

[Tweak896]

Robert Drysdale... lol

 

[EricSpider]

I don't think these have been mentioned yet:

Dustin Hazelett - last fight at 24.
Jimmy Hettes - last fight at 27.

God I would never remember this guys if you didnt post this. Hettes had a looot of hype, I would compare him to Bryce Mitchel

 

[swarrrm]

Jon Jones