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Conor McGregor: UFC star returns from retirement after only 10 days following Khabib Twitter spat

The former two-weight world champion sent shockwaves around the sporting world just under a fortnight ago when he announced he was retiring

Thursday 04 April 2019 09:39 BST

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Conor McGregor arrest: UFC star arrested in Miami for strong-armed robbery and criminal mischief

Conor McGregor has hinted his "retirement" from mixed martial arts may be over already.

The former two-weight world champion sent shockwaves around the sporting world just under a fortnight ago when he announced he was retiring.

The decision drew its fair share of scepticism, given it came only hours after McGregor told an American TV chat show that he was in negotiations for a fight in July.

But just 10 days on the Irishman appears to have performed a U-turn.

"I want to move forward, with my fans of all faiths and all backgrounds," he tweeted. "All faiths challenge us to be our best selves. It is one world and one for all. Now see you in the Octagon."

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

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1/13Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

The Irish superstar is no stranger to controversy. Here are twelve occasions in which he generated headlines for all the wrong reasons.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

'F*** the Queen'

McGregor came in for criticism from some quarters for wearing a poppy at a UFC event back in 2015. “I know where my allegiance lies and what I do for my country,” was his firebrand response. “You have a pint in your hand and a Celtic jersey on in your local. F*** you and the Queen.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Nazi row

One of the first serious controversies in McGregor’s career. “Kiss them feet, Nazi,” he tweeted German fighter Dennis Siver. His apology also came in for criticism: “Ich bin bin sowwy. Now about them feet…” he wrote.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Insulting Aldo

“I own this town, I own Rio de Janeiro,” McGregor told Brazilian fighter Jose Aldo, in a series of heavily criticised comments. “In previous times I would invade his favela on horseback and would kill anyone who wasn’t fit to work, but we’re in a new time, so I’ll whoop his ass instead.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

UFC 200 no show

McGregor decided he did not have the time to fulfil his press duties ahead of UFC 200, and his scheduled rematch with Nate Diaz. UFC president Dana White was unimpressed with his no-show at a press conference and decided to pull him from the card. McGregor and Diaz would eventually meet at UFC 202, with the Irishman taking a points decision.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Bottles ahoy

McGregor has been in trouble for throwing things before. Ahead of UFC 202 he became involved in a heated altercation with the Diaz brothers, which culminated in him hurling full cans of energy drink across a press conference. He was subsequently fined $25k by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and handed 25-hours community service.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Racism allegations

There were a number of controversial moments during the Mayweather vs McGregor world press tour, with the UFC champion accused of racism on more than one ocassion. He attracted criticism for telling Mayweather to “dance for me, boy!” before later reasoning he was not a racist because “I’m black from the bellybutton down.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Showtime spat

Showtime Spots executive Stephen Espinoza was less than impressed when McGregor turned his ire to him during the Mayweather vs McGregor world tour. “While we’re at it, f*ck Showtime too,” McGregor shouted at Espinoza in Toronto. “Look at you, you little f*cking weasel, I can see it in your eyes, you’re a f*cking bitch. Cut my mic off? Cut the champ’s mic off? Hell no. You f*cking weasel.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Bellator brawl

After his team-mate Charlie Ward defeated John Redmond at a Bellator event in Dublin, McGregor vaulted into the cage and began arguing with respected referee Marc Goddard. McGregor pushed Goddard and threatened an official, before eventually apologising. “I’ve always learned from my mistakes, and this will be no different,” he said.

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Homophobia allegations

The Irishman was heavily criticised when television cameras overheard him referring to Andre Fili as a “f****” after the American beat his training partner Artem Lobov at UFC Gdansk. “I’m human; I slip up, I say stupid things every damn day,” McGregor later apologised. “All I can (do) is hold my hand up and apologise if anyone was offended.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Darkest day

A warrant for McGregor’s arrest was issued after the Irishman was caught on video smashing the window of a bus full of fighters with a sack trolley. Two fighters were injured in the incident, with McGregor eventually handing himself in to the police. He was eventually sentenced to three days of anger management courses and five days community service.

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

UFC ban

He was banned from the UFC for six months and fined $50k for brawling with the camp of Khabib after his world title loss.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Latest shame

On Monday, McGregor was arrested in Miami Beach for allegedly destroying and stealing the mobile phone of a man who was attempting to take his photograph.

Miami Beach PD

A previous "retirement" announced by McGregor in 2016 lasted a matter of days.

The conciliatory tone of McGregor's tweet was at odds with an earlier string of abusive posts targeting Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Russian who beat him in a fourth-round lightweight title fight in October.

McGregor has made no secret of his desire for a re-match.

"Don't be scared of the rematch you little scurrying rat. You will do what you are told like you always do," he tweeted on Wednesday.

McGregor also tweeted - then deleted - a number of derogatory posts about Nurmagomedov's wife.

UFC president Dana White condemned the online exchanges as "unacceptable" and confirmed that he was reaching out to both camps to defuse the tension.

Neither McGregor nor Nurmagomedov have fought since, with both serving suspensions for an ugly brawl that erupted after their match in Las Vegas.

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Boasting massive global recognition, McGregor wields considerable negotiating power over the UFC and pundits have speculated his retirement announcement was merely a ploy in a long battle to secure an ownership stake in the popular cage-fighting series.

"He's stuck on this thing where he wants a piece of the ownership and if you look at basketball, Michael Jordan didn't own a piece of the league," White said earlier this week.

"I think there's other ways that we can make him happy."

McGregor was arrested last month for allegedly stealing the mobile phone of a man who was attempting to take his photo outside a nightclub.

He was charged with strong-armed robbery and misdemeanour criminal mischief and released on bail.

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