UFC News 2016: Sources Confirm McGregor Retirement 'Not A Hoax'; Ex-UFC Champ Signs With US Military
On Tuesday, reigning UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor managed to stir up a hornet's nest, when he announced his decision to retire from professional mixed martial arts competition at the age of 28.
"I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya's later," McGregor's tweet reads.
Many of the sport's aficionados and fighters alike offered their reactions to "The Notorious'" sudden announcement. Some believe it is merely a hoax, a practical joke that the McGregor camp is trying to pull. But apparently, the said tweet is real.
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According to veteran mixed martial arts journalist Ariel Helwani, "multiple sources" have corroborated the authenticity of McGregor's statement.
"Reasons still unclear, but 4 hours later, multiple sources maintaining McGregor's tweet is real. UFC working on next step(s) at this time," Helwani said in another tweet.
For their part, the UFC has maintained their decision to keep McGregor out of the UFC 200 fight card, which takes place on July 9th. He was originally slated to face former lightweight title contender Nate Diaz in a rematch, with the same stipulations as UFC 196: a welterweight non-title fight.
In another interview with UFC Tonight, UFC president Dana White confirmed that should McGregor decided to pursue his decision of being retired, José Aldo and Frankie Edgar would now be fighting for the world title belt, as opposed to an interim belt, which was originally planned.
Meanwhile, former lightweight champion Benson Henderson expressed his intent to sign up for the US military in the near future. Currently signed with Bellator FC, Henderson says his military aspirations have been with him since he was a kid.
"I've always held a pretty strong civic duty," Henderson said. "Us as Americans, we need to do a better job period. Kids always say for the longest time, oh I was going to join the Marines, oh I was going to join the Army, this or that."
"Every 22-year old says that. It's something that I always felt."
