CONOR MCGREGOR has been brutally told he’s NEVER “fighting again”.
The Notorious’ long wait to return to the octagon was supposed to end last summer in a long-overdue showdown with Michael Chandler.
REUTERSConor McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the cage since breaking his leg in[/caption]
SPLASHThe Irishman hasn’t been living the life of an athlete over the last few months[/caption]
APThe former fan favourite been brutally told his UFC career is over[/caption]
But he was forced out of the Sin City showdown after breaking his left pinky toe just weeks before the June joust
McGregor has found himself embroiled in several controversies since the cancellation of the contest, including being found civilly liable for assaulting Nikita Hand in December 2018.
And the Irishman‘s behaviour has former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen convinced he’ll never fight again.
The former UFC middle and light-heavyweight title challenger told Ariel Helwani: “He pulled out of his last fight which was a record gate.
“He beat all of his own gate records. They had $25million (£20m) waiting for them for the live gate and still had $2million (£1.6m) worth of tickets to sell.
“He pulled out of a press conference where they took an American company to Ireland, played the video game like everybody had set up shop.
“I mean, it’s a big deal to leave them hanging right there.
“The official reason he did that was for a discoloured pinky toe which may or may not be broken and may or may not be his.
“He didn’t take a picture of himself with the toe. He took a picture of a toe and posted it online.
“It was discoloured red and purple and I’m sure it was very sore.
“But with no evidence that it was broken, or even any evidence that it was even his.
“If you pull out of a fight because of a discoloured pinky toe that may or may not be yours, that may or may not be broken, you’re not fighting again. It’s just the truth.”
McGregor, 36, hasn’t set foot inside the cage since breaking his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
The Dubliner – who was filmed this week spitting at a Khabib Nurmagomedov fan – seemingly hasn’t lived the life of a professional athlete since the cancellation of his clash with Chandler.
And Sonnen believes he’s in no fit shape to be stepping foot inside the cage.
He said: “Whatever adult allows Conor McGregor to return with the same exact injury that Chris Weidman had.
“Chris Weidman being possibly the most disciplined guy in the sport, Conor being the most undisciplined guy in the sport.
“Chris Weidman doing everything right, from rehab to taking his time to focusing to being at home at night and going to bed and getting rest on his leg.
“He did everything right, and did not return as somebody that could follow the basic rule, which was to protect himself at all times. Right?
GETTYChael Sonnen reckons Conor McGregor’s fighting days are well and truly over[/caption]
“That hindered, repaired leg was that big of an obstacle.
“But we’re supposed to believe that Conor not only can return from the same thing, he can return better?
“And we know we think he’s going to be better, because we’re not booking him in three-round fights.
“We’re booking him exclusively in five-round main events, so he is going to have to perform at a much higher level than ‘The All-American.’
“The laws of logic disqualify that. The basic rule is protect yourself at all times.
“Conor McGregor is not in a position with anybody under contract at the UFC to protect himself at all times. It’s a silly proposition, and that is just the truth.
“That is just the truth. There’s not another way to say it. I also want in on the Conor business.
I also want to cover him and have him back, and it’s different when he’s there.
“I acknowledge the fun. But if you’re talking about any level of responsibility, you can’t book him — and you definitely can’t book him in a five-round fight. That’s insane.”
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