Conor McGregor

By FCF Staff

Conor McGregor stole much of the spotlight tied to UFC 250 on Saturday by announcing he’s retiring, and since then, the star has explained why.

Recently McGregor announced on Twitter that he’s decided to hang up the gloves again.

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

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 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Dh4ijsZacZ

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 7, 2020

It marks the third time the former featherweight and lightweight champ has said he’s retiring, as McGregor also did so in 2016 and 2019.

But, in a follow up interview with ESPN, the Irish fighter reported that issues booking his next bout and a lack of excitement for the sport, are behind his decision.

“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.

“They should have just kept the ball rolling. I mean, why are they pushing [Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin 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. 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. 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.”

“I’m a bit bored of the game,” he added. “I’m here watching the fight. I watched the last show — the [Tyron-Woodley-Gilbert Burns] show — I watched the show tonight. I’m just not excited about the game, Ariel. I don’t know if it’s no crowd. I don’t know what it is. There’s just no buzz for me.”

McGregor also, however, noted the following.

“We’ll see what the future holds. But for right now, for the immediate future, 2020, all the best to it.”

The 31 year-old McGregor (22-4) is coming off a quick, stoppage win over Donald Cerrone in January.