Conor McGregor Sheds Light on His "Retirement" in New Facebook Post
“I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting.”
Conor McGregor just wants to fight. After sending the MMA world into hysteria following his out-of-nowhere retirement announcement on Twitter, the pride of Dublin released a statement today clarifying his standing with UFC.
Posted on Facebook, the piece more or less confirms the speculation offered up by most insiders following Tuesday’s shock announcement: McGregor wants to train and compete and has no interest in the countless promotional obligations associated with his fights. Says McGregor:
I am just trying to do my job and fight here. I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote. I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting. There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop.
Though Dana White went on to confirm that UFC was pulling McGregor from the July 9 rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 200, McGregor himself says he’ll be ready for the fight and deserves some leeway given the amount of revenue he’s generated for UFC:
I’m doing what I need for me now. It is time to be selfish with my training again. It is the only way. I feel the $400 million I have generated for the company in my last three events, all inside 8 months, is enough to get me this slight leeway. I am still ready to go for UFC 200. I will offer, like I already did, to fly to New York for the big press conference that was scheduled, and then I will go back into training. With no distractions. If this is not enough or they feel I have not deserved to sit this promotion run out this one time, well then I don’t know what to say. For the record also – For USADA and for the UFC and my contract stipulations – I AM NOT RETIRED.
So will UFC allow McGregor to still take on Diaz in UFC 200’s main event? Stay tuned and head on over to the fighter’s Facebook page for his full statement.
