UFC Fighter Conor McGregor Says ‘I Am Not Retired,’ Still Ready for UFC 200

“I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting,” Irishman writes in Facebook statement

Conor McGregor game of thrones
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After bluntly announcing that he was retiring from fighting earlier this week, UFC star Conor McGregor promised fans via Twitter “no more games” on Thursday.

The tattooed Irishman then wrote a lengthy Facebook post saying, “I am not retired.”

After raising doubt that he was going to face Nate Diaz in a rematch on July 9, he also pledged, “I am still ready to go for UFC 200.”

Much of his lengthy Facebook message criticized the media obligations that are involved in being a top UFC fighter. McGregor wrote, “I am just trying to do my job and fight here. I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote. I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting.”

“There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop. 50 world tours, 200 press conferences, 1 million interviews, 2 million photo shoots, and at the end of it all I’m left looking down the barrel of a lens, staring defeat in the face, thinking of nothing but my incorrect fight preparation,” McGregor continued. “And the many distractions that led to this. Nothing else was going through my mind.”

The 27-year-old from Dublin, Ireland, went on to blast the media rounds that are expected of all high profile sports stars. “Sitting in a car on the way to some dump in Connecticut or somewhere, to speak to Tim and Suzie on the nobody gives a f-ck morning show did not get me this life,” he wrote, possibly referring to ESPN’s base in Bristol, Connecticut.

“Talking to some lady that deep down doesn’t give a f-ck about what I’m doing, but just wants some sound bites so she can maybe get her little tight ass a nice raise, and I’m cool with that too, I’ve been giving you all raises. But I need to focus on me now. I’m coming for my revenge here.”

After being defeated by Diaz on March 5 in UFC 196, McGregor shocked the sports world on Tuesday by announcing on Twitter, “I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ay’s later.”

His abrupt statement prompted a quick response from Octagon rival Diaz, who then tweeted, “I guess my work here is done I’m retiring too.”

UFC President Dana White also reacted to speculation over McGregor’s retirement tweet by appearing on “SportsCenter” on Tuesday. “We pulled Conor McGregor from UFC 200, we’re working on other fights right now,” White told ESPN’s flagship show. “Conor did not want to come to Las Vegas and film the commercial and be a part of the marketing. He’s in Iceland training.

“Is Conor retiring? Only he can answer that question. I don’t know.”

It looks like the highly-anticipated fight is back on again … for now.

See his McGregor’s Facebook post and prior tweet below.

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