Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
UFC superstar Conor McGregor announced his retirement on social media Monday night, abruptly ending his remarkable fighting career.
In a post on his verified Twitter account, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion said: “I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as ‘Mixed Martial Art’ today.”
The post wishes his “old colleagues well going forward in competition,” and says he would “join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement. Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!”
The name of the drink in the post appears to be a reference to Proper No. Twelve Whiskey, the loquacious Irishman’s burgeoning liquor venture.
UFC President Dana White said in a text message to The Associated Press that McGregor’s announcement “totally makes sense.”
“He has the money to retire, and his whiskey is KILLIN it,” White added. “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.”
The 30-year-old McGregor is the most famous fighter in his sport, but he hasn’t won a fight since November 2016, when he beat Eddie Alvarez to become the first UFC fighter to hold championship belts in two divisions simultaneously.
His only fight in 2017 was a loss to boxer Floyd Mayweather in the richest fight in boxing history. He finally returned to the UFC cage last October, but lost a lightweight title fight to Khabib Nurmagomedov via submission in the fourth round.