Conor McGregor is certainly getting up in age. He turned 35 this year, and while that may not sound like a lot, in sports terms, that is the latter lap of one’s career. Especially in a punishing sport like mixed martial arts. Especially with the long periods of inactivity that McGregor has had.

Add to that the obscene amounts of money the Irishman has made (which many think has made him compliant, unlike the young, hungry McGregor fans fell in love with), and it is easy to see why there are retirement talks around the former two-division champion. And on their ‘Weighing In’ podcast, veteran MMA referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy and Josh Thomson discussed a possible scenario of ‘Mac’s retirement.

Possible Conor McGregor retirement scenario discussed by MMA vets

McCarthy asked Thomson about Daniel Cormier advising Islam Makhachev to fight Conor McGregor next. Thomson was not sold on the idea and felt McGregor would not accept the fight and would have to fight Michael Chandler as the UFC had sunk too many promotion dollars into it.

“I think Conor’s gonna have to follow through with the Michael Chandler fight. I think there’s too much stuff that too much money has been spent on them promoting that fight. Post that, the UFC is like, look dude, you’re coming back, you’re fighting him [Chandler],” Thomson told McCarthy.

Thomson then speculated that after the Chandler bout, the UFC might offer McGregor Nate Diaz for his next fight and talk about his future plans, including retirement after that. McGregor has called out Diaz on his social media and suggested he would win the BMF title held by Justin Gaethje and then have a trilogy bout with the Stockton native.

“And then after that, we’ll give you the Nate and then you’re going to ride off into the sunset or we’ll renegotiate, or talk about what happens after that. You know, let’s see where you’re at,” Thomson added. However, ‘Mac’ was in Saudi Arabia to attend the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match, which seems to have spurred him on to return to the boxing ring against a boxing legend.

McGregor hopeful for a boxing match against Manny Pacquiao despite lawsuit

A few months ago, a California court ordered boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to pay Paradigm Sports Management, the company that manages McGregor, $5 million plus lawyer fees over a contract breach. However, Pacquiao and McGregor were spotted sharing a sofa in Saudi, where they went to attend Fury-Ngannou.

The Saudi royal family, who have been working hard to promote the country as a sports tourism hub, seem to be attempting to make a McGregor vs Pacquiao boxing match possible as it would boost the country’s combat sports venue profile. The former two-division champion has said that the crossover fight against the boxing legend was still a possibility.

Also Read: ‘Five Years Old’ Francis Ngannou Possessed Power of a 10-Year-Old, Ex-UFC Champ’s Mother Makes Bold Claim Before Million Dollar Tyson Fury Clash

But first, the Irishman is desperate to return to the octagon and pleaded to be allowed to return as soon as possible. “I just want the date. My date, please. That’s it,” an emotional McGregor said. “I’ve been kept from my living for almost three years now, understand that. I came through what I came through. I’m sitting on an injury and a loss. Imagine what that [does],” he added in an interview from Saudi. What do you think about McGregor’s emotional outburst? Let us know in the comments section below.

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