The MMA world is a buzz with the announcement that UFC Featherweight champion and the promotion's top drawing star, Conor McGregor has retired from the sport. McGregor, who lost via submission in a welterweight bout against Nate Diaz last month, was slated for the rematch he requested at UFC 200 in July. Further complicating the whole situation is the very lucrative contract that Conor was set to sign just a few months ago, which would pay him record money going forward with a share of the pay-per-view buy rate.
It's certainly a perplexing situation, as the Dublin native surged in popularity just a few years ago and quickly became the top star in the biggest MMA company in the world. Is this some type of bizarre negotiation tactic or will he leave millions of dollars as well as possibly his legacy on the table? According to a tweet from the 27-year-old champion, he decided to retire young and has declined an interview since the social media post so there's not much confirmed for the reasoning behind the sudden decision. In my view, there are two possibilities here and neither of them will suit UFC brass, who must be confused as the rest of us as to why the Irishman chose to hang up his gloves.
There is a very cynical society, particularly on social media and within hours of the social media message, many have already chalked this "stunt" up to being a bargaining chip ahead of the historic UFC 200 card that Conor was scheduled for the Diaz rematch. Obviously, only the 145 LBS champion knows his intentions behind the decision, but it's doubtful the motivation is money, considering he made millions of dollars just in his last few bouts and was set to make major money in July so what else is there really to negotiate? Is it possible that Conor just wants more cash to participate in the grueling sport? Sure, but he's a relatively new commodity for the Zuffa group so realistically, how much more money would he expect to be paid?
The less glamorizing and much sadder explanation is that the risk of combat sports was enough for Conor to step away with his health still stable. Earlier this month, Joao Carvalho passed away after an MMA bout at a smaller card in Dublin, despite all the safety protocols being followed after the contest. In a tragic series of events, the Portuguese fighter was rushed to the hospital after the event where he underwent brain surgery and remained in critical condition for a few days before he died. Conor McGregor was ringside for the bout and posted a touching tribute to the fallen fighter. Could Carvalho's passing have shook Conor and prompted him to retire? It's certainly an understandable concern and athletes retiring to preserve their health is something that has become more common in sports, especially with the concussion research being done. Specifically, there are several NFL players that have retired earlier to avoid potential head trauma so it's definitely a concern in sports.
If McGregor is finished in competition, where does he go from here? Some, including Becky Lynch, have suggested the charismatic athlete make the transition to sports entertainment, but it doesn't seem like the WWE would be anything on his radar. If anything, Conor could open his own gym in his home country or use his popularity from the cage to get some film roles, similar to Ronda Rousey.
But, what about Conor McGregor's legacy?
Sure, he's the most popular star in the UFC at the moment, but he has only been a main event fighter for a year. Realistically, Conor had a three year run in the organization and only had a few major bouts. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to take anything away from him because he has tremendous skills, but his relatively brief time as a top draw doesn't really compare to the dominate eras of legends, such as Chuck Liddel or Anderson Silva. Conor McGregor is in the prime of his career, how will the historical scope view his career if he retired after one main event loss to Nate Diaz? Granted, legacy doesn't pay the bills and there are a laundry list of former stars in various field that are proof of it, but Conor claimed he was going to make history with titles, revenue, etc. so a sudden retirement doesn't make sense. McGregor might be content with the money he made previously and that might be the reason for him to call it a career.
The bottom line is, will Conor McGregor actually retire from the sport?
I have to say, even if it's a genuine retirement at this time, I would be completely shocked if McGregor isn't fighting in the octagon again in the future. Maybe it's just a matter of the right amount of money to get him to return to the cage, but considering that he hasn't even defended his title yet, it seems like there's just too much for Conor left to do for him to retire. Only time will tell if he fights again, but either way, the retirement announcement puts the UFC in a tough position for the UFC 200 and potentially finding their next top star.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
E mail:drwrestlingallpro@yahoo.com
You can follow me on Twitter @jimlamotta
