'What a ride': UFC's McGregor says he's retiring

1:09 AM ET

Marc RaimondiESPN Staff Writer

The biggest star in UFC history says he's done in the Octagon.

Conor McGregor tweeted Saturday night that he will be retiring from MMA. It was a sudden, unexpected announcement -- and one that many thought was insincere. McGregor has tweeted twice before that he was hanging up the gloves, but fought as recently as this past January.

Hey guys I've decided to retire from fighting.
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 title wins!
Pick the home of your dreams Mags I love you!
Whatever you desire it's yours ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Dh4ijsZacZ

- Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 7, 2020

Earlier Saturday, McGregor posted a video of himself training in his garage. Late last month, the former UFC two-weight champion expressed interest in several opponents in the near future. On May 28, he wrote on Twitter that he accepted a proposal for a fight against UFC legend Anderson Silva.

McGregor was once tied to a fight this summer with current top lightweight contender Justin Gaethje. A trilogy bout against Nate Diaz has also been rumored. UFC president Dana White said earlier this week that the best path for McGregor might be to wait and face the winner of Gaethje's title challenge against McGregor nemesis Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Regarding McGregor, UFC president Dana White told reporters after UFC 250 on Saturday night that people have been acting strangely lately due to the coronavirus pandemic. But if McGregor wants to retire, White said, then he should retire.

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McGregor, 31, famously "retired" on Twitter in 2016 in a dispute with the UFC over traveling to do media for a UFC 200 bout with Diaz. The UFC pulled McGregor from the fight, because he wouldn't come to the United States for a press conference. McGregor tweeted April 19, 2016: "I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya's later."

Another retirement tweet came March 25, 2019 in the midst of more jockeying with the UFC. McGregor ended up returning at UFC 247 on Jan. 18, stopping Donald Cerrone via TKO in just 40 seconds.

McGregor (22-4) has just two UFC losses, one to Nurmagomedov and one against Diaz that he avenged. "The Notorious" became the first UFC fighter to hold two titles in two different weight classes at the same time when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight belt at UFC 205 on Nov. 12, 2016.