GagBase Logo Explore

From retirement to retirement: I used to be a fighter then my knee failed me

This edited meme places the face of professional MMA fighter Conor McGregor onto the body of a standard guard NPC from the video game *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim*. The overlaid text reads 'I used to be a fighter then my knee fail me', referencing two linked cultural references: the iconic Skyrim guard line 'I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee', and Conor McGregor's publicized knee injuries that led to his announced retirement from professional fighting. The joke draws a parallel between the guard's career-ending knee injury and McGregor's retirement due to knee issues, playing on the given 'from retirement to retirement' theme.
Make

Text content

I used to be a fighter
then my knee fail me

Overview

This edited meme places the face of professional MMA fighter Conor McGregor onto the body of a standard guard NPC from the video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The overlaid text reads 'I used to be a fighter then my knee fail me', referencing two linked cultural references: the iconic Skyrim guard line 'I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee', and Conor McGregor's publicized knee injuries that led to his announced retirement from professional fighting. The joke draws a parallel between the guard's career-ending knee injury and McGregor's retirement due to knee issues, playing on the given 'from retirement to retirement' theme.

Origin notes

The meme is sourced from the Reddit:Meme subreddit per the provided RSS feed information. It is a fan-created edited meme that combines the widely recognizable Skyrim guard meme template with public news of Conor McGregor's MMA retirement, circulated as a niche reference joke for both gaming and combat sports audiences.

Similar memes

A two-panel meme featuring an animated boxer character with a real human face. The first panel shows the boxer standing in an aggressive fighting stance, wearing red gloves and blue shorts, with the text 'ok ima fight those pedophile elites' overlaid. The second panel depicts the same boxer sitting defeated on a stool, still wearing boxing gear, accompanied by the text 'damn those pedophile elites got hands'. The background is a solid light blue, and the character's body appears cartoonish while the face resembles a real person's photograph.

Boxer Tries to Fight Elites, Then Realizes They Got Hands

A two-panel meme featuring an…

This is a two-panel comparative meme. The left panel is captioned 'My uncle when I was a kid', featuring a muscular, buff Wojak character holding a dumbbell, appearing strong, cool, and admirable as a role model for the poster during childhood. The right panel is captioned 'My uncle now', featuring a disheveled, dazed Wojak character with a silly grin and drool dripping from his mouth, looking worn out and far from his formerly impressive self. The joke plays on the relatable nostalgic experience of looking up to an older family member as a child, only to see them age and become much more unremarkable or worn over time.

Dude was my idol

This is a two-panel comparati…

A meme featuring three visual elements: a generic boxer in blue shorts standing in a fighting stance with the text 'ok ima fight Anthony Joshua' above; Anthony Joshua, a real-life boxer, in red shorts and gloves standing confidently; and the same generic boxer sitting and drinking from a bottle with the text 'damn he's not old' below. The humor stems from the implied joke of someone thinking Anthony Joshua is old enough to be an easy opponent, only to realize he isn't.

When You Want to Fight Anthony Joshua But Realize He's Not Old

A meme featuring three visual…

This meme features a press event photograph of influencer and professional boxer Jake Paul with overlaid bold text that reads "BREAKING NEWS: JAKE PAUL TO FIGHT CHUCK NORRIS". The meme's title "I think he might have a shot" is an ironic joke that plays on the decades-long internet meme trope that Chuck Norris is an unbeatable, superhuman martial artist; the implied joke is that Jake Paul actually has zero chance against the iconic Chuck Norris, making the title a sarcastic punchline.

I think he might have a shot

This meme features a press ev…

A two-panel meme using boxing imagery to humorously depict the transition from 2025 to 2026. The left panel shows a tattooed boxer in red/yellow trunks with blue and yellow gloves, appearing traumatized and defensive, with the text 'Me traumatized by 2025' overlaid. The right panel shows the same (or another) boxer in camouflage trunks with white and red gloves, standing confidently in a fighting stance with a smile, with the text '2026' overlaid. Both panels are set in a boxing ring with a crowd in the background, emphasizing the contrast between the stressful 2025 experience and the hopeful 2026 outlook.

Me Traumatized by 2025 vs 2026 Vibe

A two-panel meme using boxing…

This is a joke meme following the popular Chuck Norris meme trope that frames Chuck Norris as impossibly powerful and tough. The image features a still of Chuck Norris from his TV show *Walker, Texas Ranger*, holding an assault rifle with a stern, serious expression. Text at the top of the image reads "THE GRIM REAPER DIED", and text at the bottom reads "CHUCK NORRIS IS TAKING OVER". The joke plays on the exaggerated meme trope that Chuck Norris is so powerful he defeated death itself, killing the Grim Reaper (the personification of death) and taking over his job.

The Grim Reaper Died, Chuck Norris Is Taking Over

This is a joke meme following…

A meme using a screenshot from a boxing match. The image shows two boxers: one (receiving a punch) is labeled '6 year old me getting hit for the first time' and the other (throwing the punch) is labeled 'My mom with the belt'. The background features a boxing ring with audience members and advertisements for KFC and Credit One. A 'made with mematic' watermark is present at the bottom. The meme humorously exaggerates the childhood experience of being disciplined by a parent using a relatable and lighthearted tone.

6 Year Old Me vs Mom with the Belt Boxing Meme

A meme using a screenshot fro…

This is a meme continuing the long-running 'Chuck Norris facts' internet trope, created in response to death rumors about actor and martial artist Chuck Norris. It uses a still image of Chuck Norris wearing a cowboy hat from his TV show *Walker, Texas Ranger*, with large top text reading 'CHUCK NORRIS DID NOT DIE' and bottom text joking 'HE JUST FINISHED CONQUERING THIS WORLD AND HAS MOVED ONTO THE NEXT ONE'. The joke plays on the classic exaggerated trope that Chuck Norris is superhuman, invincible, and far tougher than an ordinary person, framing rumors of his passing as him simply finishing his time on this world and moving on to conquer a new one instead of actually dying.

Chuck Norris didn't die

This is a meme continuing the…

A two-panel meme contrasting aspirational rhetoric with humorous failure. The top panel shows a shirtless man with a chest tattoo adjusting a black hat, smiling confidently, with bold text 'STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM' above him. The bottom panel depicts a bald MMA fighter in a ring, wearing black shorts and red gloves, kneeling as he appears to be kicked in the face, with the text 'STAYED AT THE BOTTOM' below. The joke subverts the励志 message of Drake's song by showing a character who never progresses beyond their starting point.

Started From The Bottom, Stayed At The Bottom

A two-panel meme contrasting …

A screenshot from a professional boxing match featuring two boxers in a ring. The left boxer, wearing camouflage shorts and white/red gloves, is mid-punch, while the right boxer (implied to be 'Jake' from the text overlay) is facing away, appearing to receive the punch. A text overlay at the top reads: 'Narrator: It was at this moment Jake knew, he fucked up.' The image humorously frames the moment of impact as Jake realizing his mistake or impending defeat.

Boxing Match: Jake Realizes He Fucked Up

A screenshot from a professio…

The image depicts two boxers engaged in an intense, close grapple during a boxing match. One boxer has visible tattoos and a beard, appearing aggressive and focused, while the other wears white gloves and is equally concentrated. Overlaid text reads 'HOW IT FEELS' at the top and 'TO CHEW 5 GUM' at the bottom, humorously comparing the intense, stimulating sensation of chewing 5 Gum to the physical intensity of a boxing match.

How It Feels To Chew 5 Gum (Boxing Edition)

The image depicts two boxers …

This is a two-panel comparison meme. Both panels use the exact same headshot of actor Morgan Freeman dressed in a formal black suit, white dress shirt, and black tie, smiling gently at the camera. The text next to the top panel reads "Morgan Freeman when I was born:", while the text next to the bottom identical panel reads "Morgan Freeman even now". The joke leans into the widely shared internet observation that Morgan Freeman has appeared to have the same aged appearance for multiple decades, giving the impression he does not visibly age as time passes.

This man never ages

This is a two-panel compariso…