Alistair Overeem Says He’s Starting To Think About Retirement

UFC heavyweight star Alistair Overeem has always brushed aside talk of retirement, but 19 years into his MMA career it seems he’s finally starting to think about the possibility of hanging up his gloves.

“I’m 38 years old, and that’s important to note,” Alistair Overeem told ESPN. “I fully realize the end of my career is coming. It’s just coming. You can’t fight forever. I’ve had a beautiful career. Twenty-one years … crazy. Twenty-one years of fighting.

“The end is coming, but I can still do this right now. And I can still go all in.

“We’re not there yet, but I could see myself in one or two years, three maximum, walking away with a big smile on my face. I feel very content. I love the sport. My life is designed and dedicated to the sport. It’s been one gigantic, beautiful adventure — and I’m enjoying it still.”

Overeem is coming off back-to-back losses in the Octagon, having been brutally KO’d by Francis Ngannou in December of last year and then TKO’d by Curtis Blaydes in June, and it’s convinced ‘The Reem’ that he needs to change some things up in his training as he looks to get the best out of the remaining time he has left in the sport.

“I’ve noticed some things were missing [in my previous training camps],” Overeem said. “I started to look around at different camps, and I had plans to train in Denver. When the Curtis fight was booked, I put that to the side and trained with what I had at the time. The results weren’t good, and that was a wakeup call for me.”

“I had seen Curtis early this year, and we were talking about me coming to the gym. After our fight happened, I sent him a message, and he said I should still come out. I like the vibe of the gym and the city. I still feel, clearly, as if I can make that next jump.”

Ross launched MMA Insight (previously FightOfTheNight.com) in 2009 as a way to channel his passion for the sport of mixed martial arts. He's since penned countless news stories and live fight reports along with dozens of feature articles as the lead writer for the site, reaching millions of fans in the process.