2024 MMA retirement tracker: A list of those who hung up the gloves

Here’s a list of every notable retirement announced by fighters from the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and more in 2024.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

MMA is a constantly evolving sport with a revolving door of athletes entering and exiting. Currently, fighters from the era who helped make the sport so popular are beginning to trickle away from competition and hang up their gloves in order to move on to the next chapter in life.

If there’s one thing that’s well known about combat sports retirements, though, it’s that they often don’t last long. The urge to compete, and perhaps more importantly get a payday, will continue to drive fighters back even well beyond their expiration dates.

2024 has already seen a number of notable fighters announcing they are done with the sport, and we have a list of those who have opted to walk away this year (the list will update as new retirements are announced).

Danilo Marques def. Satoshi Ishii at 2023 PFL Playoffs 2: Best photos

Check out these photos from Danilo Marques vs. Satoshi Ishii at 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 in New York.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Danilo Marques[/autotag]’ victory over Satoshi Ishii at 2023 PFL Playoffs 2 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Photos courtesy of Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)

Submission Underground 21 results: Women’s champ Amanda Loewen takes out fifth UFC veteran

Amanda Loewen continued her tear through UFC contenders, submitting longtime veteran Roxanne Modafferi at Submission Underground 21.

10th Planet Portland black belt [autotag]Amanda Loewen[/autotag] continued her tear through UFC contenders, submitting longtime MMA veteran [autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag] in their Submission Underground 21 women’s absolute title fight.

The grappling contest served as the co-main event of Sunday’s card, which streamed live on UFC Fight Pass from an undisclosed location in Oregon.

Modafferi was able to score an early takedown in the matchup, but Loewen’s guard proved difficult to pass, even through the most meticulous of work. In the brief moments Modafferi did seem to gain some advantage, Loewen was always able to reverse course and threaten with her own submission. forcing a retreat. Still, neither woman could get a submission in the five-minute regulation period, sending the contest to overtime.

Modafferi started the extra period on offense from the armbar position, and nearly used an excellent leg position to secure the hold, but Loewen was able to patiently work her way free. Once it was the champion’s turn to attack, she also started from the armbar, but she finished the hold 59 seconds into the frame to secure the win and defend her title for the first time.

https://twitter.com/UFCFightPass/status/1376322883748835328?s=20

With the victory, Loewen adds Modafferi’s name to a list of UFC veterans she’s defeated at Submission Underground events that also includes Felicia Spencer, Gillian Robertson, [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag] and Sarah Kaufman – all via submission.

In additional notable action, the night’s main card open with former Bellator women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Ilima-Lei Macfarlane[/autotag] scoring an overtime submission win over former UFC women’s flyweight title challenger Eye.

Macfarlane secured top position early in the regulation period and was generally on the attack for the duration, but Eye muscled her way out of several bad positions to make it to the overtime period. Once there, Eye started on the attack, picking an armbar setup in each of the first two frames but finding herself unable to lock in a submission. Meanwhile, Macfarlane also saw her opponent escape from an armbar setup in the first overtime but got the tap at the 0:19 mark of the second extra period to take home the win.

Submission Underground 21 results include:

MAIN CARD RESULTS

  • Champ [autotag]Mason Fowler[/autotag] def. [autotag]Richie Martinez[/autotag] via submission (armbar) – Regulation, 4:41 – to defend absolute title
  • Champ Amanda Loewen def. Roxanne Modafferi via submission (armbar) – Overtime 1, 0:59 – to defend women’s absolute title
  • Tag Team ATT def. Tag Team GFC (3-0)
  • [autotag]Andy Varela[/autotag] def. [autotag]Satoshi Ishii[/autotag] via escape time – Full time
  • Ilima-Lei Macfarlane def. Jessica Eye via submission (armbar) – Overtime 2, 0:19

PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS

  • [autotag]Kyle Chambers[/autotag] def. [autotag]Chase Davis[/autotag] via submission (armbar) – Overtime 1, 0:38
  • [autotag]Joey McKay[/autotag] def. [autotag]Andrew Alexander[/autotag] via submission (rear-naked choke) – Overtime 1, 0:39
  • [autotag]Don Stoner[/autotag] def. [autotag]Phill Schwartz[/autotag] via escape time – Full time
  • [autotag]Liz Tracy[/autotag] def. [autotag]Kristin Mikkelson[/autotag] via submission (armbar) – Overtime 1, 1:08
  • [autotag]Aaron Tiegs[/autotag] def. [autotag]Andrew Sidelinger[/autotag] submission (arm-triangle choke) – Regulation, 3:03

Wednesday’s SUG 20 lineup includes Ryan Bader, C.B. Dollaway, Pearl Gonzalez vs. Gillian Robertson, more

Chael Sonnen’s Submission Underground returns to UFC Fight Pass on Wednesday, and once again the card features a number of MMA notables.

Chael Sonnen’s Submission Underground returns to UFC Fight Pass on Wednesday, and once again the card features a number of MMA notables.

The closed-door submission grappling event takes place in Portland and features Bellator heavyweight champion [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] in the main event, taking on SUG absolute champion [autotag]Mason Fowler[/autotag]. The full card streams live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT local time).

Bader competed earlier this month at Submission Underground 19, scoring an overtime victory over recent Bellator signee Anthony Johnson, while Fowler also competed on the same card, submitting [autotag]Satoshi Ishii[/autotag] in overtime to defend his belt.

In the co-main event of Submission Underground 20, Japanese Olympic gold medalist judoka and longtime MMA veteran Ishii faces Australian grappling superstar [autotag]Craig Jones[/autotag].

Additional featured contests include 20-time UFC veteran [autotag]C.B. Dollaway[/autotag] against 10th Planet black belt [autotag]Richie Martinez[/autotag], as well as Invicta FC flyweight [autotag]Pearl Gonzalez[/autotag] taking on UFC women’s flyweight [autotag]Gillian Robertson[/autotag].

The complete Submission Underground 20 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD

  • Champ Mason Fowler vs. Ryan Bader – for absolute championship
  • Satoshi Ishii vs. Craig Jones
  • C.B. Dollaway vs. Richie Martinez
  • Pearl Gonzalez vs. Gillian Robertson
  • Hunter Colvin vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

PRELIMINARY CARD

  • Ben Egli vs. Andy Varela
  • Micah Brakefield vs. Benji Silva
  • Rita Gribben vs. Kristin Mikkelson
  • Juan Bernardo vs. Alex Larmey
  • Charlie Gilpin vs. John Simon

Japanese judoka Satoshi Ishii fights for Elite MMA Championship in Germany

Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii has his next MMA assignment.

Olympic gold medalist [autotag]Satoshi Ishii[/autotag] has his next MMA assignment.

Elite MMA Championship (EMC) officials today informed MMA Junkie that Ishii (23-11-1) will take on two-time Bellator veteran [autotag]Stuart Austin[/autotag] (14-6) at EMC 5 on Sept. 5 in Dusseldorf, Germany. The inaugural EMC heavyweight title will be on the line.

Launched in 2017, EMC is owned by Croatian brothers Ivan & Tomi Dijakovic, who own the UFD GYM in Dusseldorf and manage notable fighters such as Abus Magomedov, Antun Racic, Thiago Silva, Roberto Soldic and David Zawada, among others.

Ishii, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist judoka, last saw action in January, picking up a first-round submission win over Cleber Souza in Japan. In 2019, Ishii fought seven times, including three appearances for the PFL, as well as one-offs for Rizin and KSW.

Meanwhile, Austin has been fighting professionally since 2010 and fought twice under the Bellator banner in 2014. “He-Man” is also a former British Association of Mixed Martial Arts (BAMMA) heavyweight champion.

Additional fights are expected to be announced shortly, and EMC officials have promised the card will include several UFC, PFL, and Cage Warriors. Global broadcast plans have yet to be finalized.

Kai Asakura vs. Manel Kape booked for vacant Rizin belt, additional Bellator 237 bouts announced

Japan’a Rizin FF has confirmed a clutch of new matchups for their end-of-year event, as well as their contributions to Bellator 237.

Japanese promotion Rizin FF has confirmed a clutch of new matchups for their end-of-year event, as well as their contributions to Bellator 237.

Rizin FF 20 takes place Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Japan. In the night’s headliner, [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] (14-4) has been added to face the previously announced [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] (14-1) for the Rizin bantamweight title recently vacated by the injured Kyoji Horiguchi.

That brings the total number of Rizin title fights on the card to three.

A host of other fight bookings has also been made for the event, with Russia’s [autotag]Vitaly Shemetov[/autotag] (23-10) vs. EFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Simon Biyong[/autotag] (6-1), [autotag]Jake Heun[/autotag] (14-9) vs. Olympic gold medalist [autotag]Satoshi Ishii[/autotag] (22-10-1) and former Pancrase bantamweight champion [autotag]Shintaro Ishiwatari[/autotag] (26-7-4) will take on “The Ultimate Fighter 24” runner-up [autotag]Hiromasa Ogikubo[/autotag] (19-4-2) in a bantamweight title eliminator, with the winner set to face the winner of the Asakura-Kape matchup early in 2020.

Rizin also announced a pair of new matchups for their co-promoted Dec. 29 event, Bellator 237, with 2017 Rizin grand prix champion [autotag]Kanna Asakura[/autotag] (15-4) set to face [autotag]Jayme Hinshaw[/autotag] (4-3), while heavyweights are set to collide as Japan’s [autotag]Shoma Shibisai[/autotag] (5-2) takes on Russia’s [autotag]Sergey Shemetov[/autotag] (9-6).

Rizin FF 20 confirmed fights include:

  • Kai Asakura vs. Manel Kape – for vacant bantamweight title
  • Champ Jiri Prochazka vs. C.B. Dollaway – for light heavyweight title
  • Champ Ayaka Hamasaki vs. Seo Hee Ham – for super atomweight title
  • Johnny Case vs. Tofiq Musaev – lightweight grand prix semifinal
  • Patricky “Pitbull” Freire vs. Luiz Gustavo – lightweight grand prix semifinal
  • Patrick Mix vs. Yuki Motoya
  • Mikuru Asakura vs. John Teixeira
  • Simon Biyong vs. Vitaly Shemetov
  • Jake Heun vs. Satoshi Ishii
  • Rena Kubota vs. Lindsey Vanzandt
  • Shintaro Ishiwatari vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo

* * * *

Bellator 237 confirmed fights include:

MAIN CARD

  • Fedor Emelianenko vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
  • Michael Chandler vs. Benson Henderson
  • Lorenz Larkin vs. Keita Nakamura
  • Ilara Joanne vs. Kana Watanabe
  • Daron Cruickshank vs. Goiti Yamauchi

POSTLIMS

  • Andy Nguyen vs. Ai Shimizu
  • Ryuichiro Sumimura vs. Jon Tuck
  • Jarred Brooks vs. Haruo Ochi
  • Hiroto Uesako vs. Yusuke Yachi
  • Kanna Asakura vs. Jayme Hinshaw
  • Sergey Shemetov vs. Shoma Shibisai