Conor McGregor hasn`t fought in the UFC for almost four years, and his recent statements suggest that his fighting career may be over.
At a recent BKFC event in Florida, the former two-division UFC champion confirmed he declined a comeback fight opportunity as he is focusing on running for president of Ireland. McGregor also said, “I`m happy with what I`ve done,” which sounds more like a farewell speech than a hint of a return to fighting.
While McGregor`s latest comments suggest he`s done with fighting, UFC legend Matt Brown says McGregor hinted at this when he first became famous and is now just fulfilling those promises.
“He told us about 10 years ago what he was going to do,” Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast. “Do you remember him talking about it? `I`m going to come in, I`m going to take over, I`m going to make money, and then I`m going to get the f*ck out.`”
“He said something like this sport is brutal, and you shouldn`t stay in it too long. He told us this 8 or 10 years ago. He literally told us, and he has done it.”
Although Brown stated a couple of years ago that McGregor was almost certainly not fighting again, he knew it`s hard to give up the attention and fame that comes with being the biggest star in UFC history.
That lure kept McGregor considering a comeback, but Brown says by running for president in Ireland and becoming a co-owner of BKFC, he`s found new ways to stay relevant without fighting.
“This is not surprising at all,” Brown said. “He`s finally admitting it. He loves being in the news. He loves staying relevant and giving his opinion on everything. He`s kept his voice out there, and we`ve all paid attention and are still talking about it.”
“He`s done a good job of that. A good job of playing the media. I told you before, he`s done. I think he`s just confirming what we already knew.”
Regarding McGregor actually winning a major election in Ireland, many experts in his country believe he has little chance of winning, but the same was said about Donald Trump in the United States.
Unlike the U.S. presidency, the Irish presidency doesn`t have the same power or responsibility, serving more as a figurehead. In that regard, Brown believes McGregor might excel in that role, but his past issues will likely hurt him when people vote.
“He`s a really good speaker,” Brown said about McGregor. “He`s very sharp, witty, and a good speaker. His reputation might not be ideal for someone representing your country, but in terms of speaking ability and potential as a person, I bet he would be really good at it.”
“Unfortunately, he`s somewhat damaged his reputation. Regardless of whether he actually committed the [sexual assaults], the allegations exist and are public. It`s difficult to have someone like that represent your country. It`s alleged he did these things, which complicates things. My point is, if none of that had happened, he`d be great for it.”
Besides politics, McGregor has embraced his role as a promoter for BKFC after becoming a co-owner. Brown praises McGregor`s enthusiasm for bare-knuckle fighting, and it`s another way he stays in the headlines without fighting.
“He`s really good at the BKFC thing,” Brown said. “He`s actually a perfect fit for it. He`s the perfect guy for that. The fans love it. He has the gift of gab for it. He has the energy for it. I think it`s great for BKFC. I think it`s a pretty cool sport. I think it`s actually pretty cool.”
Whether it`s building BKFC into a major combat sports promotion or winning the Irish presidency, Brown knows McGregor is busy with things outside of fighting.
Brown hopes whatever McGregor does makes him happy because he has nothing left to prove in fighting, and maybe “The Notorious” is finally realizing that.
“I hope he does great things and represents himself well,” Brown said. “Just take care of yourself, represent yourself well, and maybe it`ll help improve his life. That`s what it`s all about. You only live once.”
“He`s not coming back. Can I now be confirmed as the correct predictor on this? It wasn`t difficult. He told us. I don`t know why nobody listened. He literally told us. He said it, and I believe him.”
