Biggest premature retirements in mma

[joey gerbils]

I'm talking about guys who left big question marks on their career potential when retiring... they were on a streak or hadn't peaked yet and abruptly retired

Most obvious recent example is Zabit

2 I was thinking about recently:

TJ Grant- retired under semi mysterious circumstances on a 5 fight win streak, including finishing #3 ranked Gray Maynard at the time so I think he retired as a top 5 LW having never had the opportunity to fight for the title

Cole Konrad- giant D1 wrestling champ, Brock Lesnar training partner, Bellator HW champ, retired undefeated after going 9-0


I'd like to compile some more examples like this

 

[kingmob6]

Who is the biggest premature ejacu....

oh sorry, misread

 

[VinceArch]

I would've liked to have seen Khabib get a few more defenses in and keep the haters seething but losing his dad was definitely a strike to his very core.

 

[Cowboy Kurt Angle]

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

 

[Cowboy Kurt Angle]

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

Never mind that’s Tj grant

 

[joey gerbils]

Never mind that’s Tj grant

I believe he retired because he was unable to fully recover from a serious concussion he got. There was never an official retirement announcement he just slowly faded off into another career

 

[BFoe]

I would've liked to have seen Khabib get a few more defenses in and keep the haters seething but losing his dad was definitely a strike to his very core.

Yeah Khabib seems like an obvious answer. Can’t blame anyone for retiring after losing their father, who was also their coach. But as a fan, I’d have liked a couple more defenses.

 

[Travis Alexander]

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.

 

[IndyCovaHart]

GSP and his diarrhea.

 

[joey gerbils]

Yeah Khabib seems like an obvious answer. Can’t blame anyone for retiring after losing their father, who was also their coach. But as a fan, I’d have liked a couple more defenses.

Khabin doesn't count because he definitely peaked in my opinion. Won the belt, couple defenses etc. There aren't that many questions or what ifs about his potential... just really how he would match against Chucky Olives

 

[BFoe]

Khabin doesn't count because he definitely peaked in my opinion. Won the belt, couple defenses etc. There aren't that many questions or what ifs about his potential... just really how he would match against Chucky Olives

I think there weee more fights potentially than just Oliveira. But rather than just tie BJ Penn’s title defense record, a couple more to really cement his LW GOATness would’ve been nice.

 

[joey gerbils]

I

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.

Interesting I've never heard of him

Great contribution! Thanks

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

All 3 of Chris Curtis’ retirements

 

[Travis Alexander]

I

Interesting I've never heard of him

Great contribution! Thanks

He’s been my boxing coach since I was like 14 years old so I have a lot of love for him and have seen how great he is day in and day out. He brought me to all the big camps with him back in the day. Tito even paid him to help him prepare for a fight vs Chuck and we went to Big Bear. Let’s just say Jeremy would have been a problem for anyone in the world at LHW.

 

[ExitLUPin]

• Cole Konrad
• Borz Amagov
• TJ Grant
• Zabit
• Lee Murray
• Phillip Miller
• Holdsworth
• Terrell
• Duquesnoy
• Sosnovskiy
• Bowles
• James Wilks
• Paul Sass
• Keoni Koch

 

[joey gerbils]

• Cole Konrad
• Borz Amagov
• TJ Grant
• Zabit
• Lee Murray
• Phillip Miller
• Holdsworth
• Terrell
• Duquesnoy
• Sosnovskiy
• Bowles
• James Wilks
• Paul Sass
• Keoni Koch

Nice list

Didn't know Holdsworth retired. Bowles is the forgotten WEC BW Champ I remember his upset of Miguel Torres who for some reason himself has been forgotten but when I first started watching mma Miguel Torres was the #1 fighter below 155

 

[MeagoR]

beat me to it. Phillip Miller.

 

[pride_rules]

no mentions on the brick flick yet
he could have made real waves

 

[FreddieRoachsVoice]

BJ Penn

 

[MuffinsAppletree]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Roxanne_Modafferi_on_The_Unknown_Room.jpg