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Dustin 'The Diamond' Poirier and 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor look to put an end to their trilogy.
With UFC 264 coming on July 10th, the world awaits what could be a highly anticipated finish to a historical rivalry.
After their last encounter, people were stunned to see Conor McGregor suffer the first knockout loss of his career.
Many felt the Irishman didn't show any flashes of the fighter people fell in love with from 2015 to 2018.
But what happens if, in their third installment, Conor McGregor loses again? He has previously shown he is not afraid to walk away from the sport.
With that being said, here's a look at five reasons Conor McGregor could retire after a loss at UFC 264.
#5. Conor McGregor is set for life
Conor McGregor has said it before; he does not fight for money; he fights because it's his passion.
Well, what happens if he loses that passion? Nothing, because he does not need to fight anymore, not for financial reasons at least.
The legendary Marvin Hagler once said:
"It's tough to get out of bed and do roadwork at 5 am, when you've been sleeping in silk pijamas."
The quote encapsulates what seems to be the problem with McGregor.
When the Irishman fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2017, he earned $130 million, which alone outweighs all the money he has earned in his UFC career. He also most recently sold his stake in Proper No. Twelve for an estimated $600 million.
Nobody can blame McGregor for avoiding the brutality of UFC fights, especially when he has enough money in the bank for generations. Unfortunately, the Irishman may be forced to prioritize his physical health and will to get hit if he loses again.
It is not unheard of to see fighters retire at a young age, and Conor McGregor could be next in line to do so.
#4. Conor McGregor returns to boxing
With the current excitement in boxing - brought along by the injection of social media celebrities into the sport - McGregor may find easier money-making opportunities in the squared circle.
We just saw Anderson Silva defeat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., a former WBC middleweight champion.
That alone would motivate any MMA fighter to dip their toes into the sport, let alone one who already has.
A super-fight between Conor McGregor and Manny Pacquiao would be enough to get the Irishman to jump back into the boxing ring.
#3. Khabib Nurmagomedov is retired now
When Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement, it was as if Batman had told the world he was no longer fighting crime, and The Joker, in this case, Conor McGregor, lost his purpose in life.
Khabib and McGregor were in a very heated and personal rivalry between 2017 and 2018 that culminated in the biggest PPV event in UFC history.
Since then, Conor McGregor has vowed he will do whatever it takes to win a rematch against Khabib.
However, the former undefeated UFC lightweight champion announced his retirement in October 2020 following the loss of his father and trainer, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
When that happened, Conor McGregor lost his sense of purpose. When he returned to the UFC over a year ago, he had made it clear that defeating Khabib was his target.
With his goal now unachievable, does Conor McGregor still have the desire to continue in this brutal sport?
#2. Conor McGregor just can't keep up anymore
Even for a man of Conor McGregor's talent, the UFC lightweight division is not easy to rule.
After Khabib's retirement, the division became wide open. The crown is now up for grabs by anyone, with several elite contenders vying for Charles Oliveira's belt.
Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler, Beneil Dariush, Tony Ferguson and Conor McGregor's current foe, who most believe is the best lightweight in the world, Dustin Poirier.
The welterweight division is not going to get any better for Conor McGregor either. The contenders keep getting bigger, stronger, and a stylistic nightmare for McGregor's skill-set.
#1. Conor McGregor has nothing left to prove
For as much bashing Conor McGregor receives for his recent, it's hard to find many resumes that can match his.
Conor McGregor was the first simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history.
He won the featherweight belt after knocking out the legendary Jose Aldo in 13 seconds at UFC 194. He then beat Eddie Alvarez by TKO in the second round, winning the lightweight title in the process.
The Irishman also has knockout wins across three UFC divisions.
'The Notorious' is the biggest superstar MMA has ever seen. He has headlined seven of the top 10 most PPV buys in UFC history.
He has also been lucky to achieve these impressive feats without acquiring too much damage, a rarity in professional MMA.
There is no shame at any point, even at Conor McGregor's age, in walking away from a sport he revolutionized in less than a decade.
Do you believe Conor McGregor will retire if he loses at UFC 264? Let us know on the comments section below!
