Well known MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz sounds off on Conor McGregor’s “retirement.”
Abdelaziz manages a slew of top fighters both under the UFC banner and other organizations. He happens to manage both the UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim title holder Justin Gaethje. Due to his close relationship with Nurmagomedov, Abdelaziz also has a nasty beef with McGregor.
Ali Abdelaziz Bashes Conor McGregor Over Retirement
Following UFC 250 this past Saturday night (June 6), McGregor announced he is retiring. Abdelaziz responded to the claim and took the opportunity to rip McGregor on Twitter.
“You should’ve stepped in and fought Tony Ferguson. You’ve been hiding from him, for years. @JustinGaethje stepped in, and got the job done. Now your b*tch ass needs to sit down and watch the two best fighters in the world fight @TeamKhabib.”
McGregor told ESPN that he didn’t agree with the UFC deciding to wait on the lightweight title unification bout until September. Nurmagomedov had plans on returning to action as soon as July but his father’s health deteriorated. “The Eagle” hasn’t competed since Sept. 2019 when he submitted Dustin Poirier.
As for McGregor, his last outing was back in Jan. 2020. He defeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone via first-round TKO. It’s McGregor’s first victory since Nov. 2016. It was also his first bout since Oct. 2018.
McGregor expressed eagerness to return to the Octagon soon rather than wait for the winner of Nurmagomedov vs. Gaethje. He and Anderson Silva were willing to share the Octagon but UFC president Dana White isn’t on board with the idea. McGregor has said that the UFC didn’t present him with enticing options.
Time will tell if McGregor’s retirement will stick. Many within the MMA space, including Gaethje, aren’t sold on the “Notorious” one’s claim. This isn’t the first time McGregor has said he’s done with MMA competition.
