The post was met with skepticism given this marks the third time in the space of four years that McGregor — one of UFC’s all-time biggest stars — has said he is calling it quits.<\/p>\n
McGregor had spoken of plans to fight three times in 2020, which started with an emphatic win over Donald Cerrone in January, though the coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench into the works.<\/p>\n
Things were further complicated in the lightweight division when Khabib Nurmagomedov’s title defense against Tony Ferguson was canceled and Ferguson then going on to lose a bout for the interim strap to Justin Gaethje.<\/p>\n
McGregor, in an interview with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, said those factors had dampened his enthusiasm.<\/p>\n
“The game just does not excite me, and that’s that,” McGregor said. “All this waiting around. There’s nothing happening. I’m going through opponent options, and there’s nothing really there at the minute. There’s nothing that’s exciting me.<\/p>\n
“They should have just kept the ball rolling. I mean, why are they pushing [Nurmagomedov-Gaethje] back to September? You know what’s going to happen in September, something else is going to happen in September, and that’s not going to happen. <\/p>\n
“I laid out a plan and a method that was the right move, the right methods to go with. And they always want to balk at that and not make it happen or just drag it on. <\/p>\n
“Whatever I say, they want to go against it to show some kind of power. They should have just done the fight — me and Justin for the interim title — and just kept the ball rolling.<\/p>\n
“I’m a bit bored of the game. I’m here watching the fight. I watched the last show — the [Tyron] Woodley-[Gilbert] Burns show — I watched the show tonight [UFC 250]. <\/p>\n
“I’m just not excited about the game. I don’t know if it’s no crowd. I don’t know what it is. There’s just no buzz for me.”<\/p>\n
It was reported the company wanted McGregor, UFC’s first dual-weight champion, to fight again in July, but while money was not an issue, finding an opponent has been.<\/p>\n
Anderson Silva challenged McGregor to a catchweight bout, which interested the 31-year-old, but there is seemingly little clamor to book the showdown.<\/p>\n
“I had my goals, my plans, the season. I had everything laid out,” added McGregor. “Obviously the world has gone bleeding bonkers at the minute. There’s f— all happening at the minute. They want to throw me up and down weights and offer me stupid fights. I don’t really give a f—. I’m over it.<\/p>\n
“There’s nothing there for me. I’m trying to get excited. I’m trying my best. And when the Anderson one came along, I was like, ‘Yeah, s—, that’s a mad fight.’ And then everyone said he’s old and over the hill. I was, like, what? Fighting a former light heavyweight and the middleweight GOAT, and the actual GOAT in my eyes, that’s not a rewardable fight? And you know, you’re actually right. It wouldn’t be rewarded. <\/p>\n
“I would go in there and put him away, and then what would happen? They’d say he’s old and he’s over the hill and he’s past his prime and all.<\/p>\n
“I don’t know. It’s just crazy. I was cutting to 155, and then because I asked for 155, they wanted to show power and stomp all over me. I don’t know why they do this. But it was taken from me and then pushed back. <\/p>\n
“So then I’m thinking I don’t want to be cutting if I’m fighting at 170. I have to be careful here. My body has to be correct to the weight. And then the 176 [Silva] talk. I’m just over it, man.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n
Contact Information:<\/b>
PETER HANSON<\/p>\n
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Conor McGregor says he retired again from fighting because “the game does not excite” him and that he is frustrated over being offered “stupid fights” by UFC. The Irishman took to Twitter immediately after UFC 250 on Saturday to make the announcement. The post was met with skepticism given this marks the third time in the space of four … Continue reading Conor McGregor says he’s retiring from the UFC again because he’s ‘bored of the game’<\/span><\/a> Continue Reading