Speaking with Barstool Sports yesterday, White addressed McGregor’s current situation, saying that until McGregor calls him to tell him otherwise, he considers “Notorious” to be out of the fight game.
“These guys keep asking me about Conor McGregor, who is retired,” White said. “You guys keep asking me about him and he’s retired. Conor plays you guys like fiddles. You guys are like puppets on a string. He’s retired. He sends one Tweet that says , ‘I accept,’ and it’s right after Khamzat calls him out and two other guys. I’m not focused on anything with anybody who’s not fighting. Conor McGregor is retired. Do we all believe he’ll stay retired? I think most of us don’t believe that he’ll remain retired.”
The validity of McGregor’s retirement has been a highly discussed topic in recent months, largely because it seems so obviously untrue. Though McGregor is nominally “retired,” White has consistently advocated for McGregor to receive the next title shot if Khabib Nurmagomedov defeats Justin Gaethje this fall, and McGregor has intermittently thrown his name out for possible fights, including stoking rumors of a boxing match with Many Pacquiao, who is repped by the same management team. Despite all this though, White has continually said he believes McGregor to be retired and there could be a simple explanation: if McGregor is retired, White doesn’t owe him anything.
“Let me put it to you this way, I owe fighters that are under contract with me three fights a year. If I don’t deliver those three fights a year, I have to pay them,” White said. “Conor McGregor is retired, whether people want to believe it or now. He is not fighting right now, so when he’s not fighting, I don’t even think about him or what he’s doing or any of that stuff on a business level. I’ll still shoot him a text personally, but on a business level, he’s out of the mix. He’s not fighting at all. So everybody keeps asking me questions about him and I’m like, ‘Manny Pacquiao? What the f*ck are you talking about?’”
As for the Pacquiao rumors, White gives them no credence, saying that if McGregor were interested in a boxing match, or any other kind of fight, McGregor would have contact him about it. Since he hasn’t, White will continue operating under the assumption McGregor is really retired and, for this year at least, he guarantees that McGregor won’t compete again.
“He is retired,” White reaffirmed. “Conor McGregor is not fighting, he is retired. I have no plan. I’m in the war room right now and we have fights laid out to November 7 and Conor McGregor is not on any of them. This year, he is retired. He doesn’t have a fight this year, and he won’t have a fight this year. Conor McGregor will not fight in 2020. I’m not saying he won’t fight in 2021, but I’m telling you we don’t have a fight planned for him in 2021, but I guarantee he will not fight in 2020. Conor McGregor is retired.”
[h=1]MUST-READ STORIES[/h] Terrifying. Khabib Nurmagomedov sends Justin Gaethje an ominous warning ahead of October fight.
Fight. Tyron Woodley ‘getting real close’ on a date to face Colby Covington, calls it ‘the biggest fight of my career’.
Carnival. Dana White to visit Mike Tyson camp, ‘100 percent supportive’ of Roy Jones Jr. fight.
Let go. Eric Spicely opens up on UFC release, antidepressants after severe concussion in Deron Winn fight.
[h=1]VIDEO STEW[/h] Contender series weigh in.
Top finishes from the Contender Series.
Road to Bellator 243.
Masvidal’s weight cutting struggles. ahead of UFC 251.
Cowboy fight camp.
Filthy casual’s guide to Stipe-DC III.
[h=1]LISTEN UP[/h] The Co-Main Event. Recapping UFC Vegas 5 and previewing UFC Vegas 6.
Anik & Florian. Discussing Derek Brunson, Lewis-Oleinik, and Chris Weidman’s return.
[h=1]SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE[/h] That’s a good record.
Fun fact : I believe I’m 5-0 during my career when fighting in Vegas . 2 Strikeforce , 3 UFC ?
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) August 3, 2020
The beef goes on.— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) August 3, 2020
Only thing you’ll be riding is a personally signed “L” back to Siberia. I have your straps ready https://t.co/yWs30CFa3f
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) August 3, 2020
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) August 3, 2020
Papr Yans head is on the menu
•#FunkGotNext pic.twitter.com/7xn79aXjqa
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) August 3, 2020
Ready to fight.•#FunkGotNext pic.twitter.com/7xn79aXjqa
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) August 3, 2020
Kinda crazy to think in that 2nd fight someone was able to score 3rd round for him. I’m not letting him off the hook this time. pic.twitter.com/yxDUpwooni
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) August 4, 2020
Insanity.— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) August 4, 2020
Took a short notice fight... My bad!! https://t.co/MoZXyttwym
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) August 3, 2020
— Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) August 3, 2020
If you drink alcohol 6 days before a fight it is known that it will not affect your performance in any way during fight day. The same goes for weed. You don’t stay high or enhanced in any way 6 days later but still may fail a threshold test and get fucked on a suspension
— Brian Kelleher (@brianboom135) August 4, 2020
Damn.— Brian Kelleher (@brianboom135) August 4, 2020
I haven’t made money in over a year, needless to say I’ll be ready to fight short notice at 185 or 205. Fuck it
— éS (@EricSpicely) August 3, 2020
— éS (@EricSpicely) August 3, 2020
I thank the @ufc , @Mickmaynard2 @espnmma for everything. I will 100 percent get this sorted out and come back stronger. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.
— éS (@EricSpicely) August 3, 2020
Congratulations.— éS (@EricSpicely) August 3, 2020
[h=1]FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS[/h] Kevin Holland (17-5) vs. Joaquin Buckley (10-2); UFC Fight Night, Aug. 8.
Ayaka Hamasaki (19-3) vs. Tomo Maesawa (13-10); Rizin 22, Aug. 9.
Ben Rothwell (38-12) vs. Marcin Tybura (19-6); UFC Fight Night, Oct. 10.
[h=1]FINAL THOUGHTS[/h] Sure, Conor is “retired,” but if he called Dana tomorrow and said I want to fight Jorge Masvidal in December, I imagine Dana would backtrack on this immediately. After all, this is the guy who said “That ship turned around and sailed back” the last time he guaranteed something wouldn’t happen and was wrong.
Thanks for reading and see y’all tomorrow.
[h=1]EXIT POLL[/h]
If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let him know about it. Also follow MMAFighting on Instagram, add us on Snapchat at MMA-Fighting, and like us on Facebook.
{feed:enclosure_href }
More...
