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At UFC 264, 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor and Dustin 'The Diamond' Poirier collided for the third time in their respective careers to put a decisive end to their rivalry.
Instead, we received one of the most bizarre finishes in recent memory. In the final seconds of round one, it appeared Conor McGregor had torn his tibia.
Because of that, the decision was ruled a doctor's stoppage TKO win for the Louisiana native, and now a second straight loss for Conor McGregor.
Since 2017, Conor McGregor has had a rough string of career setbacks.
From losing in a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather to tapping to Khabib Nurmagomedov, to run-ins with the law, to losing twice a year to Dustin Poirier.
There is very little reason to believe the Irishman has any motivation to return to the sport that made him an icon.
So we look at 5 reasons why Conor McGregor has fought his final fight in the octagon:
#5. Conor McGregor has more than enough money
It is no secret that the man who was the highest-paid athlete on Forbes' list is not fighting for more money but fighting for relevance and legacy.
Conor McGregor himself has stated he doesn't need to fight for financial stability anymore. It was reported he had earned an estimated $20 million off this fight compared to the $5 million he had made back in January.
It's safe to say that he is perhaps content with his earnings. The Irishman recently sold a majority stake of his whiskey company and made $130 million off his fight with Floyd Mayweather.
Not to mention his name in eight of the top ten highest-selling PPV events in UFC history. It's safe to say the UFC needs Conor McGregor more than the Irishman needs the UFC.
Every fighter is a hungry lion until they have been fed too much and have become more civilized. Boxing legend Marvin Hagler said it best:
“It's hard to get out of bed in the morning to go for a run when you're sleeping in silk sheets.”
#4. Conor McGregor wants to box again
Conor McGregor has made it crystal clear that he will return to boxing at some point.
Since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr back in 2017, the Irishman has understood two things from his battle with the boxing legend:
1) The payout is much higher than in the UFC, and 2) He can box at a high level.
Conor McGregor has an immense level of pride, and though he could leave the octagon for good, we will look at Poirier as his last loss in the UFC. Who is to say we won't look back at his entire MMA career and still respect his success?
Whereas in boxing, the only image we have of McGregor is a valiant effort in a loss to Mayweather. With Jake Paul being a constant name that generates money and a previously rumored Manny Pacquiao fight, we could definitely see McGregor in the ring.
It's arguably not a matter of if, but when will we see Conor McGregor in the squared circle one more time.
#3. The competition is rising
Conor McGregor has a lightweight record of one win and three losses. What makes him compelling in the division is that his only win was a championship-winning performance against Eddie Alvarez in 2016.
His three lightweight losses were to Khabib Nurmagomedov and twice to Dustin Poirier, both former champions in their own right. It is top-level competition against arguably two of the greatest 155-pounders in history.
The problem is that although Conor McGregor will have a tough time against the likes of Poirier, Oliveira, and others in the top 5, there are also names like Islam Makhachev making their way up.
Names like Poirier, Oliveira, Makhachev, Beneil Dariush, and more present match-up nightmares for the former two-division champ due to his takedown deficiency.
#3. Conor McGregor's reputation
We saw this story before Conor McGregor's, where the most popular star returns from a big loss and loses once again to a star hitting their biggest stride on the way to gold.
Does anyone remember Ronda Rousey, the UFC superstar who carried such a polarizing aura?
It wasn't until after losing badly to Holly Holm in their title fight, then returning and losing to Amanda Nunes, that she decided to retire.
Very similar to McGregor's story: Lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission, then returns and loses to Dustin Poirier, both in dominating fashion.
We know that Conor McGregor carries a lot of pride and perhaps wouldn't want to keep going, potentially facing consecutive losses. Too many defeats and bad performances would just keep tarnishing his legacy.
If you need more examples of this, look up BJ Penn and Anderson Silva.
#1. Conor McGregor has nothing left to prove
For a future Hall of Famer like 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor, to have done what he has in less than a decade is nothing short of incredible.
Won titles in two divisions, has 80% of the top 10 PPV buys with his name on it, has a net worth of over $120 million, a highlight reel of knockouts, and fought elite competition across multiple divisions. To add to that, he boxed an all-time great.
What would Conor McGregor want to accomplish to keep him going?
Aside from getting into fights with rivals like Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz or going for a third belt in the welterweight division, each assignment is a daunting task.
Conor McGregor could wake up one day and say risking his body after achieving so much is just not worth it anymore.
