He’s made huge claims like this in the past, only to return to the ring for more KO’s and million-dollar takedowns. With a history of hyping it up for all its worth, there’s little wonder Conor McGregor’s cult-like following are taking his latest announcement with a grain of salt.
Hey guys quick announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as “Mixed Martial Art” today.
I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition.
I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement.
Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 26, 2019
As you may have noticed, there’s a whole hurricane of hype over the former UFC champion’s latest retirement announcement. Fans reckon he’s proper having us on and my guess is, their scepticism is justified. McGregor’s not done, but his reason for taking a walk from the sport doesn’t come from lacking any thirst for a fight.
Breaking News: Conor McGregor, the mixed martial arts star, is being investigated in Ireland over an accusation of sexual assault. He said he was retiring today. https://t.co/0VDV8FIlLQ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 26, 2019
People are revelling in his shock-horror announcement but truth is, it’s not all that blindsiding. Rumours circulating that McGregor was under investigation by Irish police have been confirmed by a report published by the New York Times overnight. Back in January of this year, in his former stomping ground of Crumlin, Ireland, the MMA champ was arrested by local police for sexual assault allegations. Whilst no charges were laid, the investigation is still ongoing.
Interestingly (but unsurprisingly), McGregor’s publicist, Karen J. Kessler, has slammed the allegations. She’s denied the existence of any connection between Conor’s retirement claim and the case.
“This story has been circulating for some time and it is unclear why it is being reported now. The assumption that the Conor retirement announcement today is related to this rumour is absolutely false.”
In light of the statement, we shouldn’t be too quick to retreat from the severity of these allegations. A single defence, from a largely biased source whose sole responsibility is to maintain McGregor’s relatively clean image, isn’t the be-all-and-end-all here. My guess is these retirement claims allow McGregor to make a timely escape from the spotlight — possibly foreseeing that these allegations may end up in serious charges.
I suspect McGregor and his PR team are scrambling to maintain a positive image, but this public statement won’t fool us. This doesn’t mark the end of the case, nor does it mark the end of McGregor’s time in the spotlight.
Image Source:@nytimes, @TheNotoriousMMA.