After an admirable run in MMA and two championship titles, Irish fighter Conor McGregor appears to be hanging up his gloves.
The BKFC co-owner made this announcement at an event in Florida, revealing that McGregor has turned down multiple opportunities to fight again. For now, “The Notorious” says he is focused on pursuing a political career.
“I’m happy with what I’ve done,” McGregor said.
Many believe this was a farewell speech, and UFC veteran Matt Brown isn’t surprised by the development. The legend revealed that McGregor has long hinted at joining politics since rising to fame.
“He told us like 10 years ago what he was going to do,” Brown said on the latest episode of *The Fighter vs. The Writer.* “Do you remember him talking about it? ‘I’m going to come in, I’m going to take over, I’m going to make money, and then I’m going to get the f*ck out.’
“He said something along the lines of, ‘This game is brutal; you don’t want to be in it too long.’ He told us—however many, eight or ten years ago—he literally told us, and he has done it.”
Brown believes that McGregor’s interest in politics is largely driven by his desire to remain in the spotlight after many years in the UFC.
“This is not surprising at all,” Brown said. “He’s just finally, actually [copping to it]. He loves being in the news. He loves staying relevant and putting his two cents into everything. He’s kept his voice out there, and we’ve all paid attention—we’re still talking about him.
“He’s done a good job of that, a good job of playing the media. I told you before—he’s done. I think he’s just confirming what we already knew.”
Although many in Ireland doubt that McGregor will secure electoral victory, there’s no telling what the future holds. McGregor is known for his love of fanfare and media engagement, so there might be a chance he could run—and even win. However, the fighter is currently charged with sexual assault allegations, which could hinder his political aspirations.
“He’s a really good speaker,” Brown said of McGregor. “He’s a very sharp, witty speaker. His reputation may not be up to par with someone you’d want representing your country, but in terms of his speaking ability and who he could be as a person, I bet he would actually be really good at it.
“Unfortunately, he’s kind of ruined his reputation a little bit. Whether or not he actually did [commit the assaults], the allegations are out there. That makes it tough to have someone like that represent your country. It’s alleged that he did these things, and I think that makes it complicated. My point is, if none of that stuff had happened, he’d be f*cking great for it.”
Despite McGregor’s controversies, Brown revealed that he is rooting for him and hopes he pursues a meaningful venture, as he has nothing left to prove inside the cage.
“I hope that he does a lot of great things and represents himself well,” Brown said. “Just take care of yourself, represent yourself well, and maybe it will help him improve his life. That’s what it’s all about—you only live once.
“He’s not coming back. Am I confirmed yet as the correct predictor on this? It wasn’t a difficult one. He told us. I don’t know why nobody listened. He literally told us, and I believe him.”
