Conor McGregor retires: Notorious reveals why he’s hanging up gloves again, slams the UFC
Conor McGregor announced his third retirement from mixed martial arts early on Sunday morning.
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Conor McGregor has revealed he’s retired from mixed martial arts for a third time due to a lack of interesting fights. The former two-division UFC champion shocked the combat sports world early on Sunday morning by hanging up his gloves on Twitter.
McGregor’s third retirement in four years came completely out of the blue and prompted suggestions of a fresh falling out with the UFC.
‘The Notorious’ was hoping to return to the Octagon in the summer but saw his plans scuppered by the coronavirus.
But after surveying the current landscapes of the 155 and 170lb divisions, Ireland’s first UFC belt holder has opted to call it day.
"The game just does not excite me, and that's that," McGregor told ESPN. "All this waiting around. There's nothing happening.
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The game just does not excite me, and that's that
“I’m going through opponent options, and there's nothing really there at the minute. There's nothing that's exciting me.”
McGregor, 31, admits to also being “bored” of the fight game
He added: “I’m here watching the fight. I watched the last show - the [Tyron-Woodley-Gilbert Burns] show - I watched the show tonight.
“I’m just not excited about the game, Ariel. I don't know if it's no crowd. I don't know what it is. There's just no buzz for me."
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McGregor has been irked by the UFC’s delaying of the lightweight title unification fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje.
He’s also been angered by the recent propositions he’s received from the UFC.
“I had my goals, my plans, the season. I had everything laid out," McGregor said.
"Obviously the world has gone bleeding bonkers at the minute. There's f**k all happening at the minute.
“They want to throw me up and down weights and offer me stupid fights. I don't really give a f**k. I'm over it."
McGregor, 22-4, was last in action in January in the main event of UFC 246, where he demolished Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds to claim his first victory in over three years.
Prior to his third retirement, the Irishman had set his sights on fighting two more times this year.
Given the current global pandemic, it’s likely the former featherweight and lightweight king will likely only fight once more this year should he decide to come out of retirement.