UFC 250 used to be a laborious-hitting spectacle — and Conor McGregor made sure he stole the observe.
The Irishman wasn’t on the card, for sure, however merely minutes after Amanda Nunes‘ championship protection on Saturday evening, McGregor made up our minds to suppose his retirement:
Hiya guys I’ve made up our minds to retire from battling.
Thanks focused on the unbelievable reminiscences! What a race it’s been!
Right here is an image of myself and my mom in Las Vegas put up one of my World title wins!
Derive the dwelling of your dreams Mags I cherish you!
Whatever you need it’s yours ?? pic.twitter.com/Dh4ijsZacZ— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 7, 2020
Now, here’s the thing. If here’s the tip, then the MMA world will indubitably drag away out the exciting veteran UFC Featherweight and Gentle-weight Champion, who went 22-4-0 within the Octagon.
But with McGregor, it’s no longer so uncomplicated. Genuinely, here’s the third time the Infamous One has known because it quits within the previous four years — first, in 2016, after a 2nd-round submission loss to Nate Diaz in a non-title fight …
I if truth be told comprise made up our minds to retire younger.
Thanks for the cheese.
Bewitch ya’s later.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 19, 2016
…however in 2019, within the heart of a contract dispute, earlier than coming inspire to face Donald Cerrone in a 40-2nd knockout eliminate:
Hiya guys immediate announcement, I’ve made up our minds to retire from the sport formally is named “Blended Martial Art work” on the brand new time.
I wish all my used colleagues neatly going forward in opponents.
I now be a part of my veteran partners on this mission, already in retirement.
Trusty Pina Coladas on me fellas!— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 26, 2019
And this time, cherish the outdated two retirements, there’s a big selection of hypothesis that McGregor might perhaps perhaps very neatly be working an attitude.
Finally, he hasn’t been terrorized about attempting to fight Justin Gaethje for the interval in-between light-weight championship in July, probably on Dana White’s tainted “Fight Island” — a fight McGregor alluded to in feedback to ESPN about his most most in style retirement:
“They ought to comprise merely kept the ball rolling. I point out, why are they pushing [Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje] inspire to September? You know what’s going to happen in September, one thing else is going to happen in September, and that’s no longer going to happen. I laid out a opinion and a technique that used to be the merely transfer, the merely how to head with. And so they steadily want to flinch at that and no longer manufacture it happen or merely dash it on. Whatever I dispute, they want to head in opposition to it to observe some form of strength. They ought to comprise merely achieved the fight — me and Justin for the interval in-between title — and merely kept the ball rolling.”
I spoke to Conor McGregor late closing evening following his tweet heard around the arena.
“The game merely does no longer excite me and that is that,” he stated in an queer interview.
Noteworthy more here: https://t.co/uB0zjowx6N
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 7, 2020
Khabib Nurmagomedov, the undefeated UFC light heavyweight champion, used to be before the entire lot scheduled to fight Tony Ferguson this spring, however the mix of the COVID-19 pandemic and the timing of Ramadan (Nurmagomedov is Muslim) disrupted their clash.
Presumably, McGregor would comprise been in line to face the winner of that bout, after having misplaced to Nurmagomedov in October 2018 by diagram of submission (a fight, by the technique, that UFC has made available in its entirety on its YouTube channel):
As a change, Gaethje stepped in and defeated Ferguson in May well well also merely for the interval in-between title at UFC 249. And now, as McGregor mentioned, the opinion appears to be like to be for a doable unification bout between Gaethje and Nurmagedov in September — a timetable that doesn’t sit down neatly with the veteran champion.
?? “There is now not any other scenario I desire merely now. I want to fight him.”
? @Justin_Gaethje is READY to unify in opposition to Khabib! #UFC249 pic.twitter.com/I4IfNWKjQU
— UFC (@ufc) May well well also merely 10, 2020
Add it all up, and other folks in and around UFC aren’t pretty happy McGregor’s retirement is entirely legit, to squawk the least. (Warning: A good deal of those reactions might perhaps perhaps possess vulgar language.)
Quickly after UFC 250, legendary commentator Joe Rogan joined ESPN and flatly stated he doesn’t factor in McGregor is retired:
“I don’t procure it for a 2nd. I’ve Conor McGregor is attempting to gain you to chat about him, and you merely did. What better technique to gain of us to chat about him when there’s a spectacular fight stuffed with of us dominating? What he did used to be form of hijack the total scenario by announcing he’s retiring.
“I’m no longer buying it.”
Gaethje, meanwhile, had lower than kind (and NSFW) phrases for his skill opponent:
Fortunately all the aged are quiet hiding of their properties. This guy is on one other bender ? #propershit #ByeFelicia Enormous fights tonight @Cody_Nolove with the performance of the evening #UFC250
— Justin Gaethje ?? (@Justin_Gaethje) June 7, 2020
And veteran Olympic wrestler and UFC fighter Ben Askren stated McGregor is merely negotiating for that July fight:
Gaze he’s negotiating. I’m awaiting Conor vs Justin in July on Fight Island https://t.co/ryhIIwrYSl
— Funky Ben (@Benaskren) June 7, 2020
A range of MMA journalists additionally added they factor in McGregor will fight once more, whereas concurrently pointing to a increasing style of stress between UFC and its excessive-profile blended martial artists:
FWIW I’ve Conor McGregor fights once more. I produce no longer procure retirements till fighters steal away themselves from the USADA sorting out pool. I merely hope Conor and the UFC work this out, snappy. He’s too gifted, in his high and there might be merely so many colossal fights and tons of money to be made.
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) June 7, 2020
Conor McGregor retired
Jon Jones threatens to vacate his belt and wander away.
Jorge Masvidal asks to be released.
I produce no longer factor in any of those guys are if truth be told achieved however the UFC has a excessive narrate merely now with its most profitable stars. #UFC250
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) June 7, 2020
Even McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, looked to hint the soon-to-be 32-365 days-used McGregor might perhaps perhaps observe within the footsteps of Michael Jordan, of all of us, and come in inspire better than ever:
At age 31 Jordan all straight away retired from basketball earlier than the 1993–94 NBA season, he returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and led them to about an additional championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998, to boot to a then-fable 72 in style-season wins within the 1995–96 NBA season.
— Coach Kavanagh (@John_Kavanagh) June 7, 2020
As for Dana White? He’s been down this boulevard earlier than — so, in his postfight press conference, White wished McGregor essentially top-of-the-line, all however with out a doubt vivid they are going to be interested very, very soon.
“We’re no longer going wherever. Chances are high you’ll retire. Chances are high you’ll dispute, ‘I’m no longer going to fight.’ Chances are high you’ll carry out whatever you desire merely now. No person is pressuring anybody to fight. And if Conor McGregor feels he wants to retire, you realize my feeling about retiring: You ought to utterly carry out it.
“And I cherish Conor. There’s a handful of of us which comprise made this if truth be told fun for me. And he’s one of them.”
Till then, McGregor can comprise his cake and relish it too … actually, it appears to be like.
Ecstatic retirement, indeed, Conor!
Assuming, for sure, that this is goodbye.
