Conor McGregor tweets he has retired from MMA

Blake Birt

Conor McGregor tweets he has retired from MMA image

Conor McGregor says he is retiring from mixed martial arts.

In a tweet posted early Tuesday morning, McGregor says he will "now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement."

On Tuesday afternoon, the New York Times reported that Irish police are investigating McGregor for an alleged sexual assault of a woman in December. The alleged victim claims that McGregor assaulted her in the Beacon Hotel in Dublin. McGregor hasn't been charged with a crime in the case and whether this reported investigation has anything to do with the timing of his retirement announcement is unknown.

McGregor's last fight was at UFC 229, where he lost via submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov.

MORE: McGregor says 'motivation dip' led to loss to Khabib

This isn't the first time McGregor has threatened to retire. In April 2016 McGregor tweeted that he had "decided to retire young." 

Since that tweet, McGregor has fought three times in the UFC, in addition to a boxing fight against Floyd Mayweather.

In a statement texted to media, UFC president Dana White said McGregor's retirement "makes sense" and wished him well.

“He has the money to retire and his whiskey is KILLIN it. It totally makes sense. If I was him I would retire too,” White wrote. “He’s retiring from fighting. Not from working. The Whiskey will keep him busy and I’m sure he has other things he’s working on.

“He has been so fun to watch!!! He has accomplished incredible things in this sport. I am so happy for him and I look forward to seeing him be as successful outside of the octagon as he was in it.”

White said in February that he hoped to see McGregor back in the Octagon by this summer.

Negotiations for a potential fight with Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone fell apart and ended with Cerrone calling McGregor a "prima donna."

McGregor was recently arrested in Miami after allegedly destroying a fan's phone.

 

Blake Birt

Blake Birt is a digital content producer for DAZN News. He has worked in media communications the past five years, including as a social media manager, writer and editor. He is located in Sydney, Australia.