“The Iron Lady” is calling it a career, as Germaine de Randamie announced her retirement from mixed martial arts on Thursday.
The former (and inaugural) UFC women’s featherweight champion took to social media to inform fans of her decision, stating that she had hoped to fight one last time for the UFC, but had set a deadline of December 31, 2024.
As it turns out, the UFC did not have room for de Randamie on any of their remaining events this year.
“With so many mixed feelings I’m sharing this message with you guys,” wrote de Randamie on Thursday. “I definitely didn’t plan or envisioned/dreamed it this way, but hey it is what it is sometimes. I begged the UFC for 1 more fight. But it had to be this year. I promised myself I would retire from fighting December 31st 2024. Unfortunately the UFC told me all cards are fully booked.”
“That’s why I decided that the time is now. I really wished I could have walked the walk one more time. But I guess it was not meant to be,” she continued. “To (sic) many people to thank personally so thank you all for being a part of my journey.”
“Thank you for all the amazing memories. I’m forever grateful for all of them. Like I always say ‘DIE WITH MEMORIES, NOT DREAMS,'” she added, before signing off with “the Iron Lady has left the building.”
Germaine de Randamie launched her career in 2008 and spent much of it as a bantamweight, outside of short stints first in Strikeforce and later the UFC as a 145’er. She holds wins over current UFC champion Julianna Pena and former champ Raquel Pennington, and in 2017 defeated former bantamweight champ Holly Holm to become the first ever women’s featherweight champion in the company.
Her reign was marred by controversy. “The Iron Lady” was staunchly opposed to fighting Cris Cyborg due to the Brazilian’s history with performance enhancing drugs, despite Cyborg being the obvious challenger and fight the UFC wanted to make. She was then stripped of her title, and announced a move back to 135lbs, where she competed for the remainder of her career. In 2019, de Randamie faced then-champ Amanda Nunes for the UFC women’s bantamweight title, losing a decision.
Her final fight, a loss to Norma Dumont, took place this past April. de Randamie exits the sport with a record of 10-5; the 40-year old was also a multi-time champ in kickboxing.
