5 current UFC fighters who should've retired ages ago
The UFC is almost certainly no country for old men. It’s hard for any aging fighter to find success. However, that doesn’t stop some of the older fighters on the roster from trying to recapture their past glories.
Over the years, there have been numerous examples of UFC fighters who simply held on for too long when they should’ve hung their gloves up. Right now, the current roster has a number of them.
Some of these fighters are simply too old to compete at this stage. Others have suffered more than a career’s worth of damage and probably ought to stop for their own good.
Joe Lauzon and Donald Cerrone will now face each other on May 7, sources confirmed to @bokamotoESPN. https://t.co/qOLI5iI3xW
With this in mind, here are five current UFC fighters who should’ve retired ages ago.
#5. Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone – UFC lightweight contender
It’s safe to say that few fighters have produced as many classics inside the octagon as Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone. Whether he’s fighting at lightweight or welterweight, ‘Cowboy’ always comes to scrap. He holds multiple UFC records, including the most wins and most post-fight bonuses in the promotion’s history.
However, there’s definitely an argument that Cerrone – who is booked to face fellow veteran Joe Lauzon at this weekend’s event – should’ve hung up his gloves some time ago.
Cerrone is currently on a winless run of six fights. He hasn’t tasted victory since his unanimous decision win over Al Iaquinta back in May 2019. During that run, he’s not only been losing, he’s also been knocked out on four occasions.
Given that he was hardly the kind of fighter to avoid taking damage even when he was winning, it’s fair to suggest that ‘Cowboy’ has absorbed more punishment than his body can take at this point, particularly at the age of 39.
When should Cerrone have stepped away? After his big fight with Conor McGregor in January 2020 would’ve been perfect. ‘Cowboy’ was stopped in that bout, giving him three TKO losses in a row. However, all three defeats had come to top-level fighters and it’s likely he made a career-high payday from his fight with ‘The Notorious’.
Unfortunately, by suffering further losses to Anthony Pettis and the unheralded Alex Morono, Cerrone is now almost certainly harming his own fantastic legacy by hanging on for too long.
ON THE BUTTON! 🎯
Alex Morono finishes Donald Cerrone in the first round! 🙌
#UFCVegas26 https://t.co/SUoKgIgLwi