It's an issue in every single sport, particularly at an elite level. When to retire is as much a psychological exercise as it is a physical one (as is the case with most of sport), and that decision can come one of two ways: an athlete can make it themselves on their own terms, or have it made for them by their boss or opponents. For the most recent example of the former, take Randy Couture; for a recent example of the latter, take Chuck Liddell.
Bearing in mind that no athlete, however humble or intelligent ever truly 'wants' to retire, especially when that athlete has been as famous and successful as the two mentioned above. However, there comes a time when the descent into obscurity can come almost as quickly as the ascent to fame and fortune did. Not that Liddell has any chance of being forgotten, or of fighting on small cards in organizations no one has ever heard of, however his fall as the unbeatable champion of the greatest organization in the world to borderline embarrassment was quick and sharp. Couture, on the other hand, has chosen the idea of retirement (now for the 2nd time) to avoid being what Liddell became in many people's eyes, according to a recent interview (see below):
http://www.bjpenn.com/profiles/blogs/couture-not-looking-to-go-out?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bjpenndotcom+%28BJPENN.COM+NEWS+BLOGS%29&utm_content=FaceBook
I respect this in so many ways, and it serves as a lesson to others. True, Couture has achieved a status that most mma athletes will only dream of, and therefore has the luxury of not having to fight for money, not having to fight for fame, not having to fight to win a UFC belt, and all that must be taken into context. However, retirement is career death, the cessation of existence, passing into something else entirely. To choose the manner in which that transition occurs and not have it dictated to you is truly a luxury, and a lesson other athletes could learn from.
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