4 ways to tell if a UFC fighter is ready for retirement

When a UFC fighter retires it can be an emotional time for many reasons. Some fans will miss their favorite fighters, coaches and training partners will mark the end of an era and family and friends could be fearful about the next stage of the fighter's life. The decision to retire should come when the fighter is ready and sometimes that happens later (or earlier) than the fans want. Below I have broken down four signs that a fighter may be getting ready to retire.

Losing streak

This seems like a no brainer but a losing streak, especially knockouts or losses to opponents they should be winning against is the first sign it's time to hang up the gloves. Some fighters like Tony Ferguson or Sam Alvey continue to fight even when the losing streak nears double digits, and that's the time when fans and friends may try to step in.

Age

Fighters in their late 40s are rare, at least when it comes to the UFC. There are exceptions, but for the most part, a fighter has passed their prime once they hit 40. Up until recently, 45 year old Andrei Arlovski was the oldest active UFC fighter. At 41, Holly Holm is the oldest female fighter. But when the age is starting to show, that's a good indicator that retirement might be nearing.

Talking about life after fighting

When a fighter is too vocal about their impending retirement, that's a problem. There's a saying that you can't be one foot in the Octagon and the other one out. If a fighter is making too many plans about their post-fight career, that can be a good sign it's time to hand up the gloves.

Taking bad risks

Desperation for a win or reignigting an old flame is big sign that the spark is gone. Fighters take risks all the time, but when those risks don't make sense, like taking a lose-lose fight on short notice or accepting fights there's no way you can win, it's a bad sign. There are some fighters who are so desperate to get back into the win column or to prove they "still have it" they actually dig themselves a deeper hole.