Conor McGregor has announced his retirement from the UFC.
The Irish sports star hasn’t fought since October last year, when he lost to lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.
He was suspended for six months following their bout, after the ugly scenes which took place at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. Although there were talks of a rematch, it seems McGregor has officially slashed any chance of that happening, by announcing he’s stepping away from the Octagon for good.
He shared the shocking news in an early morning tweet today (March 26), writing:
Hey guys quick announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as “Mixed Martial Art” today.
I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition.
I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement.
Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!
The 30-year-old appeared on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show hours before his announcement, where he suggested he ‘didn’t need’ to fight again as he was ‘set for life’.
However, ‘The Notorious’ also spoke about going up against Donald Cerrone in the summer, saying he was ‘eager’ to fight again; a comment which made the announcement of his retirement come as even more of a surprise.
He told the host:
We’re in talks for July. There’s a lot of politics going on, it’s a mad game, the fight game.
To my fans, I am in shape and I am ready. There are many opponents, in reality I can pick who I please.
I don’t necessarily need to fight. I am set for life, my family is set for life.
We are good, but I am eager to fight. We will see what happens, but I am just staying ready.
McGregor has been spending time promoting his whiskey brand ‘Proper No.12’ of late, and UFC president Dana White explained the alcohol was sure to be a good fallback for the MMA fighter.
In a text message shared on Twitter by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, White wrote:
He has the money to retire and his whiskey is KILLIN [sic] it. It totally makes sense.
If I was him i would retire too.
White’s statement continued:
He’s retiring from fighting. Not from working. The Whiskey will keep him busy and I’m sure he has other things he’s working on.
He has been so fun to watch!!! He has accomplished incredible things in this sport. I am so happy for him and i look forward to seeing him be as successful outside of the octagon as he was in it.
Although White’s comments suggest the announcement is real, this isn’t the first time McGregor has ‘retired’ from UFC.
In 2016, he wrote on Twitter:
I have decided to retire young.
Thanks for the cheese.
Catch ya’s later.
McGregor took a two-year hiatus, but returned to the Octagon to fight Nurmagomedov.
Only time will tell if his retirement is for good…
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.