EX-UFC champ Mcgregor once again retiring

Conor Mcgregor, one of the most marketable names in mixed martial arts and a former UFC champion in two weight classes, announced his retirement in the wee hours of Tuesday morning via his Twitter account.

“Hey guys quick announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as ‘Mixed Martial Art’ today. I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition. I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement. Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!”

Meanwhile, according to the New York Times, Mcgregor has been accused of sexual assault. The Times reports Mcgregor is under investigation in Ireland after a woman made the claim in December. He hasn’t been charged with a crime, the newspaper said.

Mcgregor has fought sparingly in the Octagon in recent years. His most recent bout, an October submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, was marred by post-bout melees involving both fighters and their entourages. As a result, the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Nurmagomedov for nine months and Mcgregor for six, a sanction that was scheduled to end April 6.

That card drew 2.4 million payper-view buys, the most for an MMA event. In August 2017, Mcgregor fought in a heavily hyped boxing match against undefeated champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., which drew 4.3 million pay-perview buys in North America and earned Mcgregor a reported payday of more than US$100 million.

UFC president Dana White told The Associated Press Mcgregor’s net worth was a big reason for the announcement, which he said “totally makes sense.”

It’s not the first time Mcgregor, 30, has announced his retirement on Twitter. In April 2016, he wrote he had “decided to retire young,” but reversed his decision days later. Mcgregor finishes with a professional MMA record of 21-4.