UFC president Dana White has no plans to hand Conor McGregor a piece of ownership in the league for free.
McGregor announced his retirement Tuesday from fighting, and many have seen this as a possible negotiation tactic. If he wants a part of the UFC in order to come out of retirement, he might be in for disappointment. (SLIDESHOW: These UFC Women Really Hate Wearing Clothes)
Hey guys quick announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as “Mixed Martial Art” today.
I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition.
I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement.
Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 26, 2019
“Listen, if you want to own a piece of the company, you have to put up the money to buy a piece of the company … I mean, that’s how it works,” White told TMZ in a video posted late Tuesday afternoon. (SLIDESHOW: These Are The Greatest Ronda Rousey Photos On The Internet)
The situation is only more complicated because a report broke Tuesday that the Irish-born star is also under investigation for an alleged sexual assault in his home country.
There’s no guarantee as to whether he’ll come back or how that investigation will be resolved. My guess is that you’re not likely to see the UFC star back in the octagon until that entire situation is resolved.
If that happens in McGregor’s favor, it still doesn’t sound like Dana White is going to sign over a piece of his company in order to entice him to fight again.
What an absolutely wild 48 hours for the retired UFC star. My guess is that it’s also only going to get crazier before it slows down. Just an unreal situation all the way around.