Retirement
Player retiring from competition.
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Strickland brands Din Thomas a 'shit coach' for retiring after Robertson's UFC 330 title loss
Sean Strickland has publicly attacked veteran MMA coach Din Thomas after Thomas announced his retirement from corner work in the immediate aftermath of Gillian Robertson's five-round loss to strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern at UFC 330.
MMA -
Steiner admits he stayed at Haas two years too long and was relieved to be sacked
Guenther Steiner has revealed he should have left Haas earlier, telling the High Performance podcast that a fundamental disagreement with owner Gene Haas over investment made his position untenable long before his contract was not renewed at the end of 2023.
Formula 1 -
Ronaldo hints 2026-27 season will be his last after 25 years in football
Cristiano Ronaldo has told Vogue that the upcoming 2026-27 campaign is likely his final season as a professional, saying he has his future "all mapped out" and wants to leave "a spectacular legacy".
Football -
Ronaldo announces retirement for 2027 and targets 1,000 career goals
In an interview with Vogue, Cristiano Ronaldo indicated that the 2026-2027 season would be his last as a professional footballer. At 41 years old with 976 goals to his name, the Portuguese player wants to depart on one final record.
Football -
Cyborg defends PFL title against Vieira in expected MMA farewell on Aug. 22
Cris Cyborg will defend the PFL women's featherweight championship against fellow Brazilian Ketlen Vieira at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa on August 22, in what is widely expected to be the MMA legend's final professional fight.
MMA -
Turner snatches back-to-back first-round finishes at UFC 330 and salutes retiring Barboza
Jalin Turner stopped Kaue Fernandes in the first round at UFC 330 on 16 August 2026, his second consecutive finish since reversing a brief retirement. In his post-fight interview, Turner paid tribute to Edson Barboza, who retired on the same night.
MMA -
Din Thomas retires from cornering after Robertson's lopsided UFC 330 title loss to Dern
Din Thomas has announced his retirement from cornering fighters following Gillian Robertson's one-sided strawweight title defeat to Mackenzie Dern at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. The former UFC fighter said he believes the failed title bid may represent the ceiling of Robertson's career.
MMA -
Cyborg reveals the mission driving her into a final MMA fight against Vieira
Cris Cyborg defends the PFL women's featherweight title against Ketlen Vieira on 22 August in Tampa in what is reported to be her retirement bout. The Brazilian legend says proving women's MMA could be as exciting as the men's game has been her defining motivation.
MMA -
Ronaldo hints current season at Al-Nassr will be his last in football
Cristiano Ronaldo has suggested the 2025-26 campaign will be his final season, telling Vogue he wants to 'leave a spectacular legacy' after 950 career goals and a record sixth World Cup appearance this summer.
Football -
Ronaldo admits 2026 World Cup was one too many at 41
Eliminated by Spain in his sixth World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has acknowledged it was his last appearance. Ronaldo R9, a two-time World Cup winner, also believes the Portuguese star no longer had the level to shine on the world stage.
Football -
Jones rules out boxing Usyk but keeps UFC return door open as he mentors Steveson
Jon Jones has flatly rejected the idea of a boxing match with Oleksandr Usyk, saying he refuses to "handicap" himself by fighting only with his hands. The UFC Hall of Famer adds he remains in the promotion's testing pool and has not ruled out a return to the octagon.
MMA -
Romane Ménager retires at 29 after recurring concussions end France career
France back-row Romane Ménager has announced her retirement at 29 after repeated concussions made a return to top-level rugby impossible. The 68-cap international won two Grand Slams and two French championships across a career spanning more than two decades.
Rugby -
Ben Askren to retire after RAF 11 bout, one year on from double lung transplant
Ben Askren has confirmed his match against Belal Muhammad at RAF 11 in Milwaukee will be his last, coming just one year after the former UFC fighter underwent a double lung transplant following a life-threatening bout of pneumonia.
MMA -
Garbrandt hints at UFC future after knockout loss to Yanez at UFC 329
Cody Garbrandt has broken his silence following a first-round knockout defeat to Adrian Yanez at UFC 329 in Las Vegas, posting a message on Instagram that suggests the former bantamweight champion is not ready to retire.
MMA -
Record-breaking referee Barrett-Theron steps away from rugby after breast cancer diagnosis
Aimee Barrett-Theron, the most-capped female Test referee in rugby history with 52 internationals, has stepped away from officiating with immediate effect after being diagnosed with breast cancer. The 39-year-old South African says her condition is treatable and she aims to return to the field within months.
Rugby -
Messi targets 2026 World Cup semifinal as retirement question hangs over Argentina icon
Lionel Messi has scored eight goals in six matches at the 2026 World Cup — level with Kylian Mbappé for the tournament lead — as Argentina prepare to face England in the semifinal. The 39-year-old has declined to set a firm retirement date, saying he will play as long as he can contribute.
Football -
Coroner rules repeated heading caused Nobby Stiles' fatal brain condition
A coroner has ruled that repeatedly heading a football contributed to the death of 1966 World Cup winner Nobby Stiles, after expert testimony confirmed the England and Manchester United midfielder developed CTE from an estimated 140,000 headers during his career.
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Cyborg reveals plan to start a family after retirement fight against Vieira at PFL Tampa
Cris Cyborg, 41, has confirmed she will retire from MMA after facing Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa on Aug. 22, with plans to start a family. The former UFC champion also has one boxing bout scheduled before closing out her competitive career.
MMA -
Khabib reveals UFC contract bars him from fighting anywhere else — even in retirement
Undefeated former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has disclosed he remains bound by an exclusive UFC contract that would prevent him from competing for any other promotion, even decades after his 2020 retirement.
MMA -
Retired Poirier names Khabib as the strongest fighter he ever faced in UFC career
Dustin Poirier has named Khabib Nurmagomedov as the most physically imposing opponent of his career, saying the undefeated Russian felt like he 'weighed a 1000 pounds' during their 2019 lightweight title fight at UFC 242.
MMA
