UFC star Conor McGregor has shocked the MMA world today by sending out a tweet stating he wanted to retire young. The tweet has caused massive discussion on Twitter, as McGregor is known for making statements to spark controversy.
I have decided to retire young.
Thanks for the cheese.
Catch ya's later.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 19, 2016
McGregor was scheduled to fight the main event UFC 200 on July 9 – a rematch with Nate Diaz.
McGregor’s head trainer John Kavanaugh also sent out a cryptic tweet, alluding to the fighter’s retirement.
Well was fun while it lasted
— Coach JK (@John_Kavanagh) April 19, 2016
McGregor, 27, would retire with a UFC record of 7-1 after 3 years in the sport.
Reaction on Twitter has been mixed.
https://twitter.com/YungPalestinian/status/722596557917462529
. @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/2LX5SmRxAA
— Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) April 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/DolphinFanFirst/status/722595525476753409
"I'll walk away from this game, I'll set it ablaze and walk away and that's it" ~ Conor McGregor in February pic.twitter.com/I7Awzz8SuT
— History of Sports (@BeforeFamePics) April 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/CryingJordan23/status/722598968828563457
UPDATE
UFC President Dana White has announced on SportsCenter that McGregor has been pulled from the main event of UFC 200, where he was scheduled to fight Diaz. White said McGregor was removed due to his unwillingness to fly to Las Vegas from his training base in Iceland to participate in mandatory promotional activities.
Dana White shares what he knows about Conor McGregor's immediate future with UFC. pic.twitter.com/RtkcOsAFRJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 20, 2016
UFC fans have taken to Twitter to give their own options of this new development.
UFC main events dropping out like #UFC200 @TheNotoriousMMA @MMAFighting pic.twitter.com/FlROVefgiL
— TheFuriousOne (@Kyleehudson69) April 20, 2016
@danawhite , the 1 reason i got into UFC was @TheNotoriousMMA-He did media tours like crazy both times they bailed pic.twitter.com/bs8aX72ilr
— Live and Let live (@The_Dons_tweets) April 20, 2016
That face u make when the monster u created disobeys your commands. #UFC200 #InvictaFC17 #ThisisWhy #ConorMcGregor pic.twitter.com/bi0oJPfwFp
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) April 20, 2016
It's okay @TheNotoriousMMA you would have gotten worked again by @NateDiaz209 ..UFC better let Nate fight someone else still.
— Hi my name is… (@Daallllaass) April 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/breevil/status/722599333028347904
UPDATE
McGregor’s head trainer John Kavanaugh sent out another tweet, a clip of the chorus of the rapper Eminem song Without Me. This is perhaps in response to White’s comments, as the hook contains the lyric: “It feels so empty without me”.
— Coach JK (@John_Kavanagh) April 20, 2016
The reactions to this have varied from people tweeting support for McGregor as the face of the UFC and others saying no one is bigger than the sport.
https://twitter.com/howardwrites/status/722600944303628288
@John_Kavanagh pic.twitter.com/rDUr93urXa
— Frank Kingston (@Phoenalix) April 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/AndyF_2013/status/722586252390883328
@John_Kavanagh @YouTube why should he have to carry the event…. he wants to win not risk it on a 90% him 10% everyone else media session
— Lee (@sbginger_ninjer) April 20, 2016
