Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White has issued a statement on Conor McGregor’s mixed martial arts retirement.
Moments after the UFC 250 pay-per-view event went down in Las Vegas on Saturday night, ‘The Notorious’ from Ireland shocked the MMA world after announcing he is retiring from the sport again.
It was the the third time he decided to hang up his gloves, following the same announcements in April 2016 and March 2019 because of his past feuds with the company.
“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,” he wrote on Twitter.
Serious
Following a 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, McGregor has vowed to become more active this year as he sets his sights on avenging his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
He is expected to return this summer but the UFC president admitted the biggest draw could be serious about his decision to retire from MMA.
“(McGregor) has sold an obscene amount of liquor, I don’t know what his financial situation is with that thing. Conor McGregor’s not going to need any money any time soon,” White told the media after UFC 250.
“I want to remind everybody that we’re in a pandemic, the world is a crazy place right now with all these things that are going on. I think that everybody feels this right now – there’s no fans, you can’t travel to fights now.”
“I think everybody is p****d off, confused, been locked up in their houses for three and a half months, people are wearing masks, there’s protests, riots and the list goes on and on.”
‘I Understand’
Aside from McGregor, the UFC could also lose ‘BMF’ champion Jorge Masvidal and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones due to contract disputes and White said he understands if these fighters want to leave the promotion.
“One of the beautiful things about this sport is: You don’t have to fight. This isn’t the NBA or NFL, where you better be at practice, you better show up and do this, you better do that. You don’t have to do anything here.”
“And if these guys want to sit out and retire right now or anybody feels uncomfortable in any way, shape or form with what’s going on, you don’t have to fight. It is all good.”
“If that’s what Conor is feeling right now — Jon Jones, Jorge Masvidal, I feel you. It’s not like I’m going, ‘Holy s—, 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.”
(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Conor McGregor and YouTube/ UFC)