Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor has once again announced the end of his professional career. This became known a few minutes after the end of the UFC 250 tournament, held in Las Vegas, in which the fighter himself did not participate. He posted a post on Twitter in which he thanked the fans and also addressed his mother Margaret.
“Hello everyone, I decided to leave the martial arts. Thank you for all the wonderful memories. What a way it was! In this photo, I’m with my mother in Las Vegas after winning one of my world titles. Choose your dream home, Mags, I love you! All you want is yours, ”wrote MacGregor.
Hey guys I've decided to retire from fighting.
Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it's been!
Here is a picture of myself and my mother in Las Vegas post one of my World title wins!
Pick the home of your dreams Mags I love you!
Whatever you desire it's yours ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Dh4ijsZacZ
The last match of the Irish took place at the UFC 246 tournament in January of this year. Then in the first round he won by technical knockout over American Donald Cerrone.
It is worth noting that the 31-year-old McGregor is not the first time announces the end of his career. This first happened after his defeat from Nate Diaz in 2016. In preparation for a rematch, he violated advertising obligations by refusing to participate in an open training session. On April 19, the fighter wrote on social networks about leaving the sport, but two days after negotiations with the leadership of the UFC, he changed his mind.
The second “retirement” took place a little over a year ago. March 26, 2019, six months after the defeat from Nurmagomedov, he reiterated his intention to leave the octagon. Then it was assumed that this was done in order to influence the promotion, since McGregor wanted to acquire part of his shares. Be that as it may, already in November it became known about the duel between McGregor and Cerrone.
That is why the current message caused more ridicule than surprise. UFC President Dana White said that he did not discuss his departure with the fighter, but learned about the incident from social networks. At the same time, he noted that he was not shocked by what had happened, and also recalled that two other eminent fighters, John Jones and Jorge Masvidal, spoke about leaving the promotion some time ago.
“This is Conor. You know how it works ... If the fighters want to wait or finish their careers, or if someone now feels insecurity about what is happening, then it is not necessary to fight. Everything is fine. If he feels exactly that now ... I understand him, ”Yahoo Sports quoted White as saying.
In addition, he suggested that the ex-champion wants to fight, but the promotion still can not offer him a suitable opponent.
“He is annoyed because he wants to fight. It’s not that we can’t organize a fight for him. But with whom? With Tony Ferguson? With Masvidal? And where to conduct this battle? “Fight Island” is not ready yet, and it will not work until July, ”the promoter added.
Ironically, McGregor’s decision was answered by his potential rival Justin Gatgy.
“Fortunately, all the elderly are now sitting at home. The guy is in a binge again, ”Gatgi wrote on Twitter.
Former Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko urged not to take the Irishman’s words seriously. At the same time, he added that at the moment it is difficult to assess in what form the fighter is.
“In my opinion, he just takes advantage of this trick. For the first and second time, it worked, because many people were interested in this news, and now it will be exactly the same. It seems to me that it’s pure from that point of view in order to return beautifully later, ”TASS quotes Shlemenko.
The well-known MMA commentator Joe Rogan has a similar position. He suggested that in this way McGregor is trying to attract attention. In his opinion, the resignation statement did not accidentally appear during the UFC 250.
“I don’t believe in it for a second. I think McGregor wants to get people to discuss themselves. And when else to do it, if not during spectacular battles? He grabbed attention to some extent, ”Rogan said.
At the same time, not everyone regarded McGregor's statement about the end of his career as another PR move. According to the Russian Bellator fighter Sergey Kharitonov, he should have done this even after losing in a boxing match against American Floyd Mayweather in August 2016. At that time, he was the owner of the champion lightweight belt, which subsequently went to Nurmagomedov.
“I would have ended my career in his place even after the fight with Mayweather. That's all, there is nothing to add here. Do not even assume whether he will return or not, ”RIA Novosti quoted Kharitonov as saying.
At the same time, according to the head of the Fight Nights Global promotion company Kamil Hajiyev, the Irishman chose the right time to leave the sport, because he was popular and won his last fight at the moment.
“For many great athletes, it is important to leave on a victorious wave. What will happen next is hard to say. Maybe he does not find motivation for training and understands that he will not be able to show the result, but he also does not want to be remembered by people who lose all the time, ”Hajiyev suggested.
It is still unknown whether McGregor’s decision will be final and what his plans for the future are. Some experts suggest that he can try himself in other disciplines, for example, in boxing or wrestling. However, there is another option. Former UFC fighter Oleg Taktarov said he offered the Irishman a role in his film. According to him, a preliminary agreement has already been reached with his manager, so the athlete has the last word.
“I will be happy if his decision to end his career is final. Then I could make this film with him. The script is based on the book by Randall Wallace “Love and Honor”, the rights to it belong to me. Conor will have to play a young Irish officer, the film takes place during the American Civil War. There will be many fights, so he would be perfectly suited for this role, ”Taktarov said.