Conor McGregor Tweets ‘Quick Announcement’ That He’s Retired from Mixed Martial Arts

For the second time in his combat sports career, Conor McGregor has used Twitter to send the MMA community into a frenzy with a retirement announcement.

Whether it actually holds up this time around remains to be seen.

“Hey guys quick announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as ‘Mixed Martial Art’ today,” McGregor wrote. “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!”

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!

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 26, 2019

The former UFC two-division champion’s announcement came early Tuesday morning on the heels of an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” in which he confirmed he was in negotiations with the promotion for a bout this summer. It was similar to a statement he made to a Chicago news station over St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

“We’re in talks for July,” McGregor told Fallon. “So we’ll see what happens. A lot of politics going on. The fight game is a mad game. But again, like I said, and to my fans, I am in shape and I am ready.”

The Irish superstar added that he is financially secure and doesn’t need to fight, thanks to a lucrative fight career and his recently released Proper 12 whiskey. McGregor had been linked to a matchup with Donald Cerrone at UFC 239 in July but balked at being placed in the co-main event.

“In reality, I can pick who I please,” McGregor said. “I’ve done a lot, I’ve fought a lot. I’ve never pulled out of contests. I’ve gone through some crazy injuries, some crazy external situations that many a man would sprint for the hills if it happened to them. But I stood firm, done my piece for the company. … Like I said, this whiskey is my baby. I have a lot of great entities. I don’t necessarily need to fight. I am set for life, my family is set for life. We are good. But I am eager to fight. So, we will see what happens. I’m just staying ready, as I like to say.”

For now, there is a popular sentiment that McGregor’s announcement is simply a negotiating tactic. After all, he tweeted a similar announcement in 2016 after being pulled from UFC 200 for failing to attend a press conference. The “Notorious” one would then fight twice that year, taking a majority decision against Nate Diaz in a rematch at UFC 202 before stopping Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 to briefly become a simultaneous two-division champion.

I have decided to retire young.
Thanks for the cheese.
Catch ya's later.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 19, 2016

Shortly after McGregor’s tweet on Tuesday, UFC President Dana White issued a statement to multiple outlets wishing the Irishman well.

“He has the money to retire, and his whiskey is KILLIN’ it,” White said. “It totally makes sense. If I was him, I would retire too. He’s retiring from fighting, not from working. The whiskey will keep him busy, and I’m sure he has other things he’s working on. He has been so fun to watch. He has accomplished incredible things in this sport. I am so happy for him, and I look forward to seeing him be as successful outside of the octagon as he was in it.”