UFC president Dana White told SportsCenter that Conor McGregor is off of UFC 200 for refusing to participate in a scheduled Las Vegas press conference.
We don’t know whether or not Conor McGregor is officially retiring from MMA, but we do know that he is officially off of UFC 200. UFC president Dana White confirmed to ESPN’s SportsCenter that the reigning UFC featherweight champion has been pulled from his headlining spot vs. Nate Diaz. The UFC is actively exploring its options for a new main event for its massive July 9th pay-per-view in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to White, McGregor refused to attend a press conference in Las Vegas this week, which resulted in his removal from the card. MMA Fighting has the transcribed quip:
“Obviously we still have a good relationship with Conor,” White said. “I respect Conor as a fighter and I like him as a person. But you can’t decide not to show up to these things. You have to do it.”
Earlier today, McGregor tweeted, “I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya’s later.” That was soon followed by his coach John Kavanagh saying “[it] was fun while it lasted,” and sources have told Ariel Helwani that the retirement line is not a joke.
The drama has only just begun, and we will continue to keep you up to date as the story unfolds. For now, there will be no McGregor vs. Diaz 2 at UFC 200. The UFC will discuss options for a replacement opponent for Diaz, in the meantime.
UPDATE: The UFC has released this official statement.
“UFC President Dana White announced Tuesday that UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has been pulled from his UFC 200 main event against Nate Diaz on July 9.
White revealed that the decision was made by the promotion after McGregor informed UFC officials that he would not participate in any promotional activities, including a commercial shoot and press conferences.
The UFC is currently working on a new main event for the card, which will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Other bouts currently set for the event include two title fights, with Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar battling for the interim featherweight title, and Miesha Tate defending her UFC women’s bantamweight crown against Amanda Nunes.”