Conor McGregor has hinted at prioritizing a political career, possibly aiming for the Irish presidency, over returning to combat sports, while still leaving open the possibility of a future comeback.
Conor McGregor seems to be stepping away from the octagon, doesn’t he? At a recent BKFC press conference in Florida, he practically confessed that his political aspirations are taking precedence over fighting. He even mentioned turning down a fight offer on Alcatraz Island. “I’m happy with what I’ve done,” he said. “There’s something else for me that’s in my gut right now and that’s kind of where I’m going, so we’ll see. Greatness don’t rush, also. Greatness does not rush.”
And what might this “something else” be? If you take McGregor at his word, it’s a shot at the Irish presidency. The 36-year-old has been quite vocal about his dissatisfaction with Ireland’s government, especially its immigration policies. He’s pledged to run for President to tackle these issues.
But wait—he’s not ruling out a return to fighting entirely. Since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, McGregor hasn’t competed, yet he believes fans will eagerly await his comeback. “My comeback will be slated as the greatest comeback or the biggest, most-anticipated comeback of all time,” he declared. “Right now Ireland is in my thoughts and that’s where I’m at.”
Still, if public sentiment is any indicator, McGregor’s welcome back into the ring might not be as warm as he expects.
Switching gears to legal news: Cain Velasquez’s courtroom drama has reached a conclusion—for now. After pleading no-contest in an attempted murder case, he’s facing prison time. His target was someone accused of harming Velasquez’s son, which has garnered him considerable sympathy from MMA fans and fellow fighters alike.
Curious about what others think? You can check out some reactions below.
In other news, Artem Vakhitov made waves by declining a Contender Series contract from the UFC. Known for defeating Alex Pereira in kickboxing, Vakhitov’s decision to face Rico Verhoeven in GLORY instead surprised many in the MMA world.
Speaking of departures, Ryan Bader is parting ways with PFL. Fans are dismayed as another well-known fighter leaves the league for free agency.
Meanwhile, UFC Mexico delivered an interesting card with Brandon Moreno securing a methodical win over Steve Erceg in the main event.
And lastly, our Poll of the Week asked: Was Cain Velasquez’s sentencing fair? With 403 votes cast, opinions varied—38% felt it was too harsh, while 6% thought it wasn’t harsh enough.
In other combat sports tidbits… (but that’s a story for another day).