Conor McGregor announces retirement from UFC

UFC fighter Conor McGregor has announced he is retiring from the sport.

The Irish former featherweight and lightweight champion tweeted the news following the conclusion of the UFC 250 event.

McGregor, 31, wrote: "Hey guys I've decided to retire from fighting. Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it's been!"

This is not the first time McGregor, who has a career record of 22 wins and four defeats, has said he is retiring from the sport.

He made the announcement in April last year only to return less than 12 months later.

After reversing his 2019 retirement, McGregor stepped back into the fray after more than three years since his last UFC victory.

He needed just 40 seconds to reassert himself on his favourite sport, flooring 'Cowboy' Cerrone with a precise head kick and a flying knee before the referee stepped in. In doing so, McGregor became the first fighter to bank knockouts at featherweight, lightweight and welterweight.

"I made history here, I set another record," he declared at the end.

McGregor also announced he was calling his career a day in 2016, but that didn't last either.

His two most recent losses came against Nate Diaz - which he later avenged - and lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

A 'superfight' against fellow UFC great Anderson Silva had been on the cards this year, with the latter publicly touting the head-to-head over the weekend.

Other potential opponents included long-time rival Khabib Nurmagomedov and Jorge Masvidal.

In 2017, McGregor took a high-profile detour into the world of professional boxing, going down in 10 rounds to Floyd Mayweather in a showpiece event in Las Vegas.