It’s still unclear if Conor McGregor was serious about a tweet stating his retirement, but he definitely won’t be fighting in UFC 200 in July.
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McGregor’s showmanship has earned him both huge attention – he was a Sports Illustrated cover boy – and revenue, and fans and cameras flock to the fighter. “You have to do it”.
Earlier, McGregor tweeted: “I have chose to retire young”.
White was uncertain on whether McGregor had in fact retired.
UFC president Dana White made the announcement via “SportsCenter” on Tuesday. He’s in Iceland training and not participating in the marketing is not possible.
The move throws the main event of UFC 200 into disarray, while we will have to await further clarity regarding McGregor’s future.
White, meanwhile, said he had been in communication with McGregor’s management throughout Tuesday.
While the bulk of UFC commentators reckon McGregor’s just trolling (remember that time he self-inducted himself into the UFC Hall of Fame?), top MMA reporter Ariel Helwani thinks otherwise.
The timing of the news couldn’t have come at a ideal time with both fighters choosing to declare their decisions, right after one another.
White added: “It doesn’t make you exempt. I don’t know. But he will not be a part of UFC 200”, said White.
The 27-year-old Irish fighter went 7-0 to start his UFC career before suffering his only loss in a nontitle bout against Diaz at UFC 196 in Las Vegas on March 5. “We spend a lot of money on this stuff”.
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It appears now that the two sides are locked in a odd battle with McGregor, UFC’s top star, not fighting in a pay-per-view that is one of the most highly anticipated in the company’s history. McGregor was originally supposed to fight Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight championship, but dos Anjos withdrew due to injury.
