New York — Superstar UFC fighter Conor McGregor has announced on social media that he is retiring from mixed martial arts. McGregor’s verified Twitter account had a post early Tuesday that said the former featherweight and lightweight UFC champion was making a “quick announcement”:
https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1110410797925175296
The 30-year-old McGregor also announced retirement on Twitter in April 2016, saying he’d decided to retire young, though he quickly reversed that amid a dispute with his promoters about how much he should be obligated to tout a fight scheduled with Nate Diaz that was postponed.
Earlier this month, McGregor was arrested in South Florida for stealing the cellphone of someone who was trying to take his photo, authorities said. McGregor was charged with robbery and criminal mischief. His attorney described the altercation as minor.
McGregor, who’s from Ireland, returned to UFC last fall after a hiatus during which he made his boxing debut, a loss to Floyd Mayweather.
He was suspended from UFC for six months and fined $50,000 for a brawl after his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October.
CBS Sports reports McGregor said as recently as last weekend he was in negotiations for his first post-suspension bout and was targeting July for his next return to the ring.
Never far from controversy, McGregor pleaded guilty last July to disorderly conduct in exchange for community service to resolve charges stemming from a backstage melee at a Brooklyn arena last April. McGregor was also to be evaluated for an anger management program.
Video showed McGregor apparently hurling a hand truck at a bus full of fellow fighters after a news conference for the UFC event at Barclays Center in April. Two fighters hurt by broken glass were unable to compete. McGregor was originally charged with assault, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.
