Former top-ranked women’s bantamweight, UFC title challenger retires from MMA
The Ultimate Fighting Championship may be quietly
allowing its 135-pound women’s division to wind down.
MMA Fighting initially reported on Friday that Irene Aldana (15-8), former bantamweight title challenger and top-ranked athlete, has retired at the age of 38. The news has since been confirmed by ESPN Deportes, who further indicated that Aldana is not done with combat sports overall.
The perennial contender leaves this sport behind with her name littered throughout the record books in her division. One of the more active competitors in UFC women’s bantamweight history, Aldana boasts a litany of top-10 distinctions in categories like most appearances, knockdowns and many more. Despite her last appearance in September 2024, the Mexican boxer still holds the second-most significant strikes landed in her division’s history, 1,028 compared to the leader of Raquel Pennington at 1,148.
Aldana last set foot in the cage at the second Noche UFC event in 2024, which was also titled UFC 306. At that event, she fought tooth-and-nail with Norma Dumont in a terrifically bloody affair where Dumont’s forehead split wide open. Despite the carnage, doctors cleared her to continue, and she reached the final bell—albeit sustaining a loss via decision.
Two fights before the Dumont scrap, Aldana battled Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight strap. The Logo Gym MMA fighter could not match the intensity that Nunes brought to the table, losing all five rounds with one or two considered 10-8s on official scorecards. Despite not winning gold, Aldana celebrates victories over notable names in the sport including Ketlen Vieira, Yana Santos, Macy Chiasson and Karol Rosa.
MMA Fighting initially reported on Friday that Irene Aldana (15-8), former bantamweight title challenger and top-ranked athlete, has retired at the age of 38. The news has since been confirmed by ESPN Deportes, who further indicated that Aldana is not done with combat sports overall.
The perennial contender leaves this sport behind with her name littered throughout the record books in her division. One of the more active competitors in UFC women’s bantamweight history, Aldana boasts a litany of top-10 distinctions in categories like most appearances, knockdowns and many more. Despite her last appearance in September 2024, the Mexican boxer still holds the second-most significant strikes landed in her division’s history, 1,028 compared to the leader of Raquel Pennington at 1,148.
Blood for the Blood God, skulls for the Skull Throne
Aldana last set foot in the cage at the second Noche UFC event in 2024, which was also titled UFC 306. At that event, she fought tooth-and-nail with Norma Dumont in a terrifically bloody affair where Dumont’s forehead split wide open. Despite the carnage, doctors cleared her to continue, and she reached the final bell—albeit sustaining a loss via decision.
Two fights before the Dumont scrap, Aldana battled Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight strap. The Logo Gym MMA fighter could not match the intensity that Nunes brought to the table, losing all five rounds with one or two considered 10-8s on official scorecards. Despite not winning gold, Aldana celebrates victories over notable names in the sport including Ketlen Vieira, Yana Santos, Macy Chiasson and Karol Rosa.
Hablé con Irene Aldana, quien me confirmó su retiro de las MMA. En abril de este año informó al UFC su intención de retirarse y enfocarse en su salud
La historia en @ESPNDeporteshttps://t.co/sainnY3lWApic.twitter.com/mmKbunI4eC— Carlos Contreras Legaspi 🦁 (@CCLegaspi) July 17, 2026
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