MMA star Conor McGregor announces retirement

“The Notorious” is leaving the octagon again. This time, he said, for good.

Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor announced on Twitter early Sunday that he was retiring.

“What a ride it’s been,” the 31-year-old tweeted.

McGregor made his announcement after the end of UFC 250, ESPN reported.

McGregor told ESPN he no longer had a passion for the sport.

“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.”

McGregor, who had a 22-4 record as a fighter, held world titles in two the UFC’s featherweight and lightweight divisions.

This is not the first time McGregor has gone to social media to announce his retirement.

The Irish fighter first walked away in March 2016 but returned in August to defeat Nate Diaz, ESPN reported. He left the sport again in April 2019, but returned after 15 months to face Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in Las Vegas, CNN reported. McGregor won that January match in only 40 seconds.

McGregor also famously faced boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. and held in own before losing in the 10th round, CNN reported.

McGregor said the inactivity in sports due to the coronavirus ultimately made him decide to retire.

“I’m a bit bored of the game,” he told ESPN. “I’m here watching the fight. I watched the last show. ... I watched the show tonight. 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.

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

Cox Media Group