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.

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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.

IMAK ADMIN

By IMAK ADMIN

Internationaler Kampfkunst und Kampfsport Kleinanzeiger