IF MMA doesn’t work out, there could be a career in writing for Conor McGregor.
The 27-year-old Dubliner finally broke his silence this afternoon, after 72 hours of manic speculation about his fighting future.
The UFC featherweight champion used 651 well-chosen words to categorically state that he was not retired, and he wants to be part of UFC 200, but with less of the arduous demands of promotion and talking to the media.
The ball is very much now in Dana White’s and the UFC’s court as they claimed that they had no option but to exclude him from the 9 July show in Las Vegas.
The reaction online was as divisive as his original statement on Tuesday night.
Firstly, John Kavanagh piped up.
Guess who's back, back again. Conor's back, tell a friend.
— Coach JK (@John_Kavanagh) April 21, 2016
Ur call now. You are the customers. What do you want? Press conferences or fights? Make some noise because we're ready to do the damn thing!
— Coach JK (@John_Kavanagh) April 21, 2016
Ok time to hit @MjolnirMMA for training @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/V3K1lgcnRK
— Coach JK (@John_Kavanagh) April 21, 2016
McGregor’s SBG team-mate Artem Lobov also commented.
Here is to many more Red Pantie nights!!!
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) April 21, 2016
Eddie Alvarez doesn’t think McGregor’s attitude to the UFC was too smart.
https://t.co/eGkqWeVMSb. What everyone thought . Good insight on how an empire rises and then falls , being aware is key , good for him 👍🏻
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) April 21, 2016
If UFC folds then it's sets a precedent for future stars to do the same , short term gain $$$ Long term disaster .. Let's see what happens
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) April 21, 2016
Ben Askren thinks the Irishman played a clever game.
UFC played their cards wrong. They look like idiots under all outcomes now.
— Funky (@Benaskren) April 21, 2016
And some editors just did not want to know.
Number of NEWS articles that appeared in @thetimesIE on McGregor's "retirement" – 0
Number that will appear about his now non-retirement – 0— Richie Oakley #andacyclist (@roakleyIRL) April 21, 2016
Other writers were also less than impressed.
Meanwhile Conor McGregor now unretired, saying it was down to not wanting to be in the spotlight after an episode that showed him craving it
— Ewan MacKenna (@EwanMacKenna) April 21, 2016
Conor McGregor: "Look, over here, look, look, quick, here, please, look at me. Thanks, just wanted to say I don't want any attention."
— Ewan MacKenna (@EwanMacKenna) April 21, 2016
And there was a lot of sympathy for poor ‘Tim and Suzie’.
Just think of how awkward Tim and Suzie are gong to feel the next time McGregor sits down for a morning chat with them #ConorMcGregor
— Cormac kennedy (@Cormackennedy95) April 21, 2016
@benfowlkesMMA … But also, what if Tim and Suzie had been more hospitable?
— db (@dlbno) April 21, 2016
There also was no need for Conor McGregor to put Tim and Suzie on blast like that. I'm sure they're lovely people.
— Simon Samano (@SJSamano) April 21, 2016
But Shane Lowry respects the Dubliner.
Gaining more and more respect for @TheNotoriousMMA as time goes on.
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) April 21, 2016
But one line in the statement had a lot of people angry.
Yeah but Conor McGregor, what does a "tight little ass" have to do with anything? Gross.
— Leah Davies Lombardi (@LeahDLombardi) April 21, 2016
Currently on Twitter: Irish ladies' collective eye-roll at Conor McGregor's "get her little tight ass a nice raise" comment.
— Felicity McMahon (@BitOfALegalGeek) April 21, 2016
