YouTube / The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
- Conor McGregor told Jimmy Fallon he was "set for life" right before announcing his retirement from MMA.
- McGregor appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Monday in a segment that showed the pair drinking his Proper No. Twelve whiskey, singing an Irish folk song, and pouring pints of Guinness at an Irish bar in New York City.
- McGregor said he was ready to fight and was "in talks" for a bout in the summer, but also spoke of how he and his family are financially set for life.
- The segment was uploaded to YouTube just hours before McGregor tweeted a statement confirming his retirement.
Conor McGregor said he was "set for life" just hours before he tweeted a statement announcing his retirement from MMA.
The Irishman enjoyed wild success in Cage Warriors and the UFC as he was crowned featherweight and lightweight champion in both organizations, with thrilling wins over elite fighters like Max Holloway, Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Nate Diaz, and Eddie Alvarez in a career that began in 2008 and spanned a decade.
But McGregor has not won a fight since 2016 as he failed to go the distance when Floyd Mayweather stopped him in the 10th round of a boxing rules contest in 2017, before a fourth round submission loss to UFC rival Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
The fight industry expected McGregor to return to the sport in the summer, once he had served a suspension for his role in the post-fight brawls that marred his UFC 229 loss to Nurmagomedov last year.
On Monday night, McGregor even told Fallon on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" that he loves "to compete" and "to fight."
Speaking on the Monday episode, he said: "My next fight… we’re in talks for July, we’ll see what happens. A lot of politics, the fight game is a mad game. I am in shape and I am ready. There are many opponents. In reality I can pick who I please."
However, he also said that because of the popularity of his Proper No. Twelve whiskey brand, he does not "necessarily need to fight."
He said: "I am set for life, my family is set for life… we are good. But I am eager to fight, we will see what happens, I’m just staying ready."
YouTube / The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
The segment showed McGregor and Fallon drinking whiskey at an Irish bar in New York City, singing the Irish folk song "The Wild Rover," and pouring pints of Guinness.
It was uploaded to YouTube on Monday just hours before McGregor tweeted an announcement to confirm his retirement.
Read more: Conor McGregor announces shock resignation from MMA
"I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as ‘Mixed Martial Art’ today," he said in his announcement tweet.
McGregor had been linked with comeback fights against Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and Nate Diaz, but retires five months after his UFC 229 loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Alan Dawson)