Conor McGregor reveals retirement stance with UFC icon yet to fight for three years - 'That's when'

Conor McGregor reveals retirement stance with UFC icon yet to fight for three years - 'That's when'

WATCH NOW: Conor McGregor stars in Road House trailer

Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 30/03/2024

- 10:56

The 35-year-old hasn't fought since losing to Dustin Poirier in 2021

Conor McGregor has revealed he doesn't plan to retire from UFC just yet, despite not fighting in the sport for three years.

The Irishman has long been the poster boy for UFC and is considered one of the greatest athletes in the sport's entire history.


McGregor last stepped into the octagon back in 2021, with Poirier ruthlessly putting him to the sword.

The 35-year-old broke his leg that night and, though he's always insisted he wants to return to UFC, that's yet to happen.

Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor has shut down talk of potentially retiring from UFC

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McGregor has millions in the bank and recently opted to turn to acting, with the Irishman starring in Road House alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Daniela Melchior.

That, coupled with his absence from UFC for the past three years, has sparked talk of retiring.

But McGregor, speaking to TNT Sports, has no intention of quitting just yet - and will only retire once he's 'laid flat out'.

“I don’t think I could ever feel like calling it a day till I’m laid out flat and that’s it," he said.

"In a box and going down to the ground, that’s when I’ll call it a day.

“It’s almost like (fighters) get weighted down with the pressure of life, uncertainty.

"You see a lot of fighters in their post-fight, even most recent with Dustin [Poirier] and [Alexander] Volkanovski.

"It’s like the weight of something atop them and they allow it then to just take them out of the game.”

McGregor also provided his verdict on Mike Tyson's upcoming boxing match with Jake Paul.

Many have criticised the two men for agreeing to a battle given their 30-year age gap.

But McGregor has cited Tyson as an example as to why he'll keep fighting in the coming years ahead.

“Look at Mike Tyson now, fighting Jake Paul, that’s an older guy," he continued.

"What Tyson said that really stuck with me.

"Mike was asked in an interview before the Roy Jones Jr fight, ‘What do you think Cus D’Amato would say to you coming back after all these years?’

"And what Tyson said really stuck with me.

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Conor McGregor Dustin Poirier

Conor McGregor is yet to fight since facing Dustin Poirier back in 2021

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"He said ‘Cus would say to me what took you so long?’ and that really hit me.”

McGregor has seemingly relished fame, with the 35-year-old a household name.

But the UFC fighter insists there are downsides and that he sometimes feels like 'an animal in the zoo'.

“I’ll tell you whatever the weight is, it’s like you’re an animal in the zoo sometimes," he responded when asked about fame.

"You’re always under the watch, there is always temptation around.

Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor has millions in the bank with the UFC icon recently chancing his arm at acting

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"I can get anything I want and I can do anything I want. Even that alone can cause people to lose themselves.

"It’s just about keeping levelheaded and getting your training in."

On his acting career, he added: "I could play any role on planet earth. I feel my life is so far removed from reality, nobody really knows me.

"They have assumptions of me but nobody really knows me and that is in my favour.

"People say I look different every day, every time they see me I look different.

"If that is somewhere I want to go, I’d fancy it, but I don’t actually fancy it. I’m not really into it, it’s a bit weird to me. Get me back in the bleeding octagon."

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