Irene Aldana retires from MMA at 38 after UFC title challenge

Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Irene Aldana has retired from mixed martial arts at 38.

MMA Fighting first reported Friday that the Mexican fighter informed the UFC of her decision in April, with ESPN Deportes later confirming that Aldana plans to remain involved in combat sports. The perennial contender walks away with a 15-8 record and the second-most significant strikes landed in UFC women's bantamweight history — 1,028, trailing only current champion Raquel Pennington's 1,148.

Aldana's final UFC bout and title shot

Aldana last fought at UFC 306 in September 2024, dropping a decision to Norma Dumont in a brutal contest that left Dumont's forehead badly cut. Doctors allowed the fight to continue despite the carnage. Two bouts earlier, Aldana challenged Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight strap but lost a lopsided unanimous decision, with at least one judge scoring a round 10-8 for the champion.

"Hablé con Irene Aldana, quien me confirmó su retiro de las MMA," ESPN Deportes' Carlos Contreras Legaspi wrote on social media. "En abril de este año informó al UFC su intención de retirarse y enfocarse en su salud."

The Logo Gym product scored wins over Ketlen Vieira, Yana Santos, Macy Chiasson and Karol Rosa during her UFC run. Her retirement comes as the promotion's 135-pound women's division continues to thin out at the top end, with multiple long-time contenders stepping away in recent years.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Former top-ranked women’s bantamweight, UFC title challenger retires from MMA