UFC great Conor McGregor drops retirement bombshell

UFC President Dana White rattled off an R-rated tirade after Irish superstar Conor McGregor said his time in the Octagon was over.

For the third time in his career, Irish superstar Conor McGregor has decided to retire from fighting.

Minutes after Amanda Nunes secured a dominant win over Felicia Spencer at UFC 250, McGregor revealed the shock news via social media on Sunday afternoon.

“I’ve decided to retire from fighting,” the UFC great tweeted.

“Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been!”

Conor McGregor announces that he's decided to retire from fighting. https://t.co/NJDXvWIAQJ

— Stadium (@Stadium) June 7, 2020

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However, there is lingering scepticism considering this is McGregor third retirement announcement in four years.

In April 2016, McGregor tweeted: “I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya’s later.”

Then in March 2019, following his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229. he tweeted: “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!”

It’s understandable some UFC fans are therefore quick to question the validity of Sunday’s announcement.

Conor McGregor has 'retired' more times than Jordan and Favre combined.

— Laurie Horesh (@LaurieHoresh) June 7, 2020

With his announcement tonight, Conor McGregor (3) has passed Michael Jordan (2) and Deion Sanders (2) and moved even with Gordie Howe (3) on the career list of GOAT retirements #stats

— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) June 7, 2020

The public to Conor McGregor (judging by my TL):

"Conor, thanks for a brilliant career, we're gonna miss you.... see you in January."

— Steve Kim (@StevESPNKim) June 7, 2020

UFC President Dana White responded to McGregor’s retirement in an R-rated tirade during the UFC 250 post-event conference.

“I’ll remind everybody that we’re in a pandemic. The world is a crazy place right now with all these things going on. I think that everybody feels this right now. No fans, you can’t travel to fights around,” White told reporters.

I think everybody is p***ed off, confused, been locked up in their houses for three-and-a-half months. People are wearing masks, there’s protests, there’s riots. The list goes on and on.

“Listen, if you don’t think what I’m doing now is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done and if you don’t think I don’t throw my f***ing hands up and I’m ready to say, ‘You know what? F*** this s***.’

“The amount of people I have gunning at me right now is insane. But here we are. This our fifth fight. We pulled off our fifth fight.

“No other sports are going right now but us. And one of the beautiful things about this sport is you don’t have to fight.

“So if that’s what Conor’s feeling right now, Jon Jones, Jorge Masvidal, I feel you. On a certain level, I understand it.

“Nobody is pressuring anybody to fight. And if Conor McGregor feels he wants to retire, you know my feelings about retirement — you should absolutely do it.

“And I love Conor … there’s a handful of people that have made this really fun for me. And he’s one of them.

“It’s not like I’m going, ‘Holy s**t, this is crazy, this is nuts.’ Nothing is crazy and nuts right now, because everything is crazy and nuts right now, on a certain level. I totally understand it and get it.”

Messed up of Conor McGregor to announce retirement right after #UFC250

Now everyone’s going to be talking about Conor McGregor instead of Amanda Nunes & Cody Garbrandt.

So F’d up to steal their thunder!

— sameera khan (@SameeraKhan) June 7, 2020

McGregor returned for a welterweight bout with Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, where he was awarded Performance of the Night. He has also recently shown interest in a rematch with Nurmagomedov.

The Irishman boasts a 22-4 professional record, and is a former UFC Featherweight champion.