It appeared boredom got the better of Conor McGregor, so the Irishman announced on Sunday he is quitting the game that brought him fame and fortune. The Notorious admitted the lack of excitement prompted him to end his career, and it's not the first time. Previously, McGregor walked out on two occasions only to reverse course after a brief period.
In 2016, the MMA superstar made known his decision "retire young," but the exit proved just a short vacation. McGregor was then in the middle of talks for his next UFC fight that reportedly hit a snag. But when the details of the fight have been finalized, and the issues ironed out, the 31-year-old walked back in as if nothing had happened.
Clutch Points said McGregor did the same in 2019 so the possibility of the fighter just trying to generate attention could not be discounted. One scenario to follow the announced retirement is that The Notorious is cooking up a new battle, and the attention he could get in the days and weeks to come would certainly boost whatever his plan is.
In any case, McGregor's exit number No. 3 was shared via social media and accompanied by a photo with his mom.
Said the former featherweight and lightweight champ: "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."
If McGregor will be true to his word, then the MMA world will indeed lose not only a colorful figure but one of the most dominant fighters to break the scene. The star has so far scored 22 wins with only four defeats. And he has made a mark by picking up wins in stunning knockouts.
The last fight by the Irishman was last January 2020, in which The Notorious stopped Donald Cerrone in just 40 seconds.
McGregor not fighting anymore seemed not to bother UFC president Dana White at all, according to Yahoo Sports.
White had indicated he was not informed of McGregor's decision ahead of the announcement but stressed that is how the Irishman operates. The UFC chief conceded that McGregor had a huge contribution to the game and chief of which is that UFC fights are now followed in many parts of the world.
However, White has assured that the MMA superstar not in the game anymore "is all good."
It could be that for McGregor, the octagon is now history, but he could be convinced to fight again in another crossover duel, possibly a rematch of his 2017 showdown with Floyd Mayweather, which reportedly padded McGregor's bank account by $100 million.
Or he could follow through with an earlier challenge to Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, which is another huge paycheck for McGregor if the proposed fight pushes ahead.
