MMA fans were the recipients of some bad news earlier in the week when one of the more popular and dynamic fighters in recent UFC history, Conor McGregor, announced that he was retiring. It is not the first time that he has ‘retired’ from fighting, but for some reason, fans and experts seem to believe that he means it.
While fight fans will miss him, it will not be hard to let him go because he hasn’t fought much in the last few years. The buzz around McGregor has been more about the spectacle and drama surrounding him than anything else. But part of that buzz did include the ever-present allure of the next fight.
Since there will not be a ‘next fight,’ fans are left wondering what the enigmatic Irishman is going to do next. Several sportsbooks are taking odds on what that might be. Of course, how the legal drama in Ireland plays out could impact what his options are, but for now, fans can still wager on what they think life post-UFC will include for McGregor.
BetOnline.ag probably has the most diverse selection of options:
- Fight in WWE +150
- MMA Fight +250
- Boxer +400
- Arrested +500
- UFC Commentator +1000
- Actor +1200
- Open a Bar +1200
- Male Stripper +2000
Male stripper? No, but it is not hard to imagine most of the rest being viable options. He has his own whiskey brand so why not a bar? He has not talked about having a desire to act, but he has the disposition to be a world-class villain.
A UFC commentator would be entertaining but probably not an option because he’d antagonize everyone. Boxing can probably be tossed out as well. He isn’t going to make as much as he did against Floyd Mayweather against anyone else. Without the paycheck, he isn’t going to be interested.
Of course, the whole ‘retirement’ thing could just be a ploy to get more money out of the UFC. Maybe Bellator decides to give him a piece of the company, and he jumps ship. With McGregor as a draw, Bellator could see some incredible growth.
Hopefully getting arrested will not be his next thing. But with his history and the recent allegations involving sexual assault in Ireland, it is a definite possibility.
However, the most entertaining option for fans would be the WWE. Vince McMahon has had several former MMA fighters make the switch such as Ronda Rousey—who will be part of the headliner for this year’s Wrestlemania.
Can you just imagine him sliding into the ring after Ronda Rousey wins the main event and doing something, i.e., slam Rousey or her husband when he slides into the ring to defend Ronda? Maybe he does something to help her win, or he gets involved in Finn Balor’s match.
Oh—or maybe the WWE gods go all out and have recently retired NFL superstar Rob Gronkowski and McGregor have some sort of standoff that leads into both joining the wrestling promotion. Now, that would be exciting!
