(CNN) – Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor announced his retirement for the third time in four years from the sport on social media Sunday, June 7, 2020.
The former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) World Champion said he was done fighting in a statement posted to his verified Twitter on Sunday morning.
“Hey guys I’ve decided to retire from fighting,” the tweet said. “Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been! Here is a picture of myself and my mother in Las Vegas post one of my World titles wins! Pick the home of your dreams Mags I love you! Whatever you desire it’s yours”
This isn’t the first time the mixed martial arts star has announced his retirement on social media.
However, as early as July 2019, McGregor was stirring up speculation that his “retirement” might be short-lived, with UFC boss Dana White making plans for him to reenter the octagon in 2020. Then in September, he began sharing training videos on Instagram as he prepared to make his comeback.
He went on to beat the Cowboy with a technical knockout after 15 months of retirement. And in 2016, he tweeted, “I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya’s later.”
The fighter, a former trainee plumber, is considered one of the best in the UFC. He’s even moved from the octagon of mixed martial arts into the ring to fight boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr.
McGregor was beaten in the 10th round by the champion, going further than many thoughts. The fight cost him his featherweight and lightweight belts and ended his bragging rights as the only fighter to simultaneously hold two UFC titles.
In 2019, McGregor’s fighting spirit led him into a large brawl following his fourth-round the loss against Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Both fighters received bans and McGregor was given a six-month suspension and $50,000 fine. His opponent received a $500,000 fine and was banned for nine months for his part in the dust-up.
McGregor leaves the sport ranked 8th on the UFC pound-for-pound list.