Time moves fast in the action-packed world of mixed martial arts. As we enter a new year inside the Octagon, let’s take a look at some of the names who called time on their careers over the past twelve months.
MMA Fighters Who Retired In 2024
Stipe Miocic
Former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic (20-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) returned to the Octagon for the first time in three-and-a-half years in November to face Jon Jones at UFC 309. The majority of the discourse surrounding that fight focused on Jones and whether he should have been facing interim champion Tom Aspinall instead, which allowed Miocic to quietly slip away into retirement afterwards.
Miocic built up one of the most impressive heavyweight championship resumes over his tenure inside the Octagon. He knocked out Fabricio Werdum to win the title back in 2016 before going on to successfully defend it against Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem and Francis Ngannou.
Miocic surrendered his belt to Daniel Cormier in the opening round of their clash at UFC 226 before returning a year later to exact revenge on “DC” and become champion once again.
Demetrious Johnson
When the discussion of MMA’s Mount Rushmore arises, the name of Demetrious Johnson (25-4-1 MMA, 15-2-1 UFC) is always one of the first to crop up. “Mighty Mouse” won twelve consecutive title fights in the UFC’s flyweight division between 2012 and 2018 before being traded for Ben Askren in one of MMA’s most bizarre historical moments.
“DJ” last competed in September of 2023 when he settled his trilogy with Adriano Moraes to retain his ONE bantamweight title and announced his retirement officially in September 2024. “I’m not going to fight anymore,” Johnson told UFC contender Merab Dvalishvili on his podcast, which was recorded prior to his announcement at ONE 168. “The reason why — I don’t find mixed martial arts fun anymore. The reason why, I find more fulfillment in doing jiu-jitsu because I feel it’s harder. I find more fulfillment in helping and training with different people.”
Also Read: “Conor McGregor: I am not retired!”
Carla Esparza
A trailblazer in women’s mixed martial arts, Carla Esparza (19-8 MMA, 10-6 UFC) retired after a loss to Tecia Pennington at UFC 307 in October. “The Cookie Monster” walks away as one of the most decorated fighters in the history of the sport.
Esparza won the Invicta strawweight title back in 2013 before winning season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter the following year to become the inaugural UFC women’s strawweight champion. She lost the belt to Joanna Jędrzejczyk the following year but got her hands on the strap again in 2022 when she beat Rose Namajunas at UFC 274.
Michelle Waterson-Gomez
Another former Invicta champion Michelle Waterson-Gomez (18-13 MMA, 6-9 UFC) made her final walk to the Octagon at UFC 303 last June. “The Karate Hottie” had success early in her UFC career, picking up victories over Angela Hill, Felice Herrig, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Paide VanZandt between 2015-2020, but a 5-fight losing streak convinced the 38-year-old to call time on her long career.
Also Read: MMA Fighters who retired in 2022
Jack Shore
Former Cage Warriors champion Jack Shore (17-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) made the surprising decision to walk away from the Octagon following his loss to Youssef Zalal in November. “Tank” revealed that an accumulation of injuries were bheind the decision when he announced his retirement via a post on Instagram.
“For the entirety of my 20s fighting and training was my life and sole focus, however, the last few weeks/months have showed this is no longer the case”, wrote the Welsh featherweight, “and I always promised myself when I was mentality checked out I would retire from the sport rather than the sport retire me.
“Injuries have caught up with me after a lifetime in the sport. I’m leaving with my mental in check, good health, financially stable, and am fully ready to move onto the future.”
Matt Brown
Fan favorite Matt Brown (24-19 MMA, 17-13 UFC) called time on his exceptional career in May after struggling to find the motivation fight one final time. “The Immortal” was last seen in action when he knocked out fellow veteran Court McGee in May 2023 and had been hoping for one last dance inside the Octagon in 2024. “The UFC did make me an offer a few months ago for a fight,” Brown told MMA Junkie.
“I remember I woke up one morning and I saw the email, and my d*** didn’t get hard. I didn’t get a feeling down my spine. I wasn’t excited”.
Brown has the most knockout victories in welterweight history (13), and holds wins over stellar names such as Diego Sanchez, Mike Swick and Stephen Thompson.
Satoshi Ishii
The long and storied career of Satoshi Ishii (26-14-1) finally drew to a close last March, seven months after his final fight inside the PFL smartcage against Danilo Marques. The Japanese star won Olympic gold medal in judo in 2008 before embarking on an MMA career which saw him compete in organizations such as K-1, Dream, Rizin and Bellator among others.
Ishii fought some legendary names throughout his career such as Tim Sylvia, Jeff Monson, “Rampage” Jackson and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic.
Joanne Wood
The third female veteran on this list to hang up her gloves this year, Joanne Wood (17-8 MMA, 9-8 UFC) went out in style as she came from behind to defeat Maryna Moroz at UFC 299 in March. “Jo Jo” fought in the UFC for ten years after appearing alongside Carla Esparza on season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2014.
Matt Schnell
One of the most exciting fighters in the UFC flyweight division Matt Schnell (16-9-1 NC MMA, 6-7-1 NC MMA) retired in September after suffering his third consecutive loss against Cody Durden. Schnell, another Ultimate Fighter veteran, will be best remembered for his chaotic two-round war with Sumudaerji at UFC on ABC 3 in 2022.
Germaine de Randamie
Dutch kickboxing/Muay Thai legend and former UFC featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie (10-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) called time on her career after losing to Norma Dumont in April. “The Iron Lady” beat Holly Holm to win the vacant title at UFC 208 back in 2017 before being uncermoniously stripped of her belt when she refused to fight Cris Cyborg.
De Randamie also amassed a 46-0 record in kickboxing with 30 knockouts. Alongside her victory over Holly Holm, she also holds wins over current UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Pena, former champion Raquel Pennington, and former PFL champion Larissa Pacheco.
