Conor McGregor has announced his retirement from "the sport formally known as 'Mixed Martial Art'".
On Tuesday, the 30-year-old posted to Twitter, notifying his seven million followers that he was leaving the combat sport.
"I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition," he wrote. "I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement.
"Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!"
The announcement comes five months after the Irish former two-weight UFC champion was defeated by Russia's Khabib Nurmagomedov in October. It was his first fight in the octagon in two years.
It's not the first time McGregor has claimed to be retiring. In April 2016 he tweeted that he'd decided to "retire young" and was not included on the UFC 200 card.
However two days later he issued a retraction, saying he hadn't retired but had fallen out with UFC bosses over promotional work.
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In September 2018, he launched an Irish whiskey brand, and UFC President Dana White made comments to media that seemed to imply McGregor's departure from the sport was imminent.
In recent days he had mentioned a possible return to the UFC in July.
Many on Twitter seem sceptical that McGregor is actually retiring, with some speculating it's a promotional move to build anticipation for a 'comeback' fight in the near future.
McGregor has enjoyed an athletic career as controversial as it has been successful. After his October defeat he got into a brawl with Nurmagomedov and both fighters were fined and suspended.
Months earlier footage emerged of McGregor throwing a railing at a bus that featured a photo of Nurmagomedov and other UFC fighters.
He was sentenced to five days of community service and forced to undergo anger management training in return for charges being dropped.
Newshub.
