So for the second time in his career, former two-time UFC Champion Conor McGregor announces his retirement on Twitter.

He wrote earlier today:

Hey guys quick announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the sport formally known as “Mixed Martial Art” today. I wish all my old colleagues well going forward in competition. I now join my former partners on this venture, already in retirement. Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!

It is the second time that Conor has flippantly announced his retirement on Twitter. Should we take this seriously?

McGregor Power move

My view is that this ‘retirement’ announcement is a power play by McGregor rather than a genuine intention to hang up the gloves.

Only a few days ago, McGregor was telling fans at a St Patrick’s Day Q&A that:

If the UFC wants me to slot into the co-main event slot… I’ve no problem with that… but give me my rightful shares in the UFC company

The trail-blazer

It is clear that Conor has thought for a while that he has done enough for the UFC to be given equity in the company. Indeed he holds, four of the top five pay-per-view records in the UFC.

Conor will feel he is a big contributing factor to the UFC being sold to WME for $4 billion in 2016. Conor dealing in ‘Proper Twelve’ whiskey has given him a taste that ownership is where the real money is at, without the risk to health.

The immovable brand

My guess is that the UFC see things different and did not want to entertain giving any fighter equity in the organisation. I imagine it isn’t a precedent they’d want to set.

The fact that UFC president Dana White was so quick to come out and endorse McGregor’s retire, suggests that the UFC is prepared to call McGregor’s bluff.

He has the money to retire and his whiskey is KILLIN it. It totally makes sense. If I was him I would retire too. He's retiring from fighting not from working. The Whiskey will keep him busy and I'm sure he has other things he's working on. He has been so fun to watch!!! He has accomplished incredible things in this sport. I'm so happy for him and I look forward to seeing him be as successful outside the octagon as he was in it.

Wheels keep churning

Given that McGregor has only fought once in the last two and a half years for the UFC it would be fair to suggest that the UFC is making plans without him.

The UFC has seen many stars come and go, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddel, Anderson Silva, GSP, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar to name a few. The UFC understands that its product is built on hunger young fighters and exciting match-ups. It will survive and has had to survive setback after setback in terms of their big name fighters withdrawing from cards or getting suspended or going awol.

The UFC has grown thick-skinned over the last couple of years and as witnessed by the new ESPN-PPPV deal has outgrown its previous cable tv pay-per-view model, that relied upon breakout stars to make it work. The Conor McGregor era was massive for the UFC however as a brand, it seems ready to move past that.

In January the UFC did a deal with ESPN and ESPN+ to air their non-PPV events.

In March the UFC announced that ESPN will have exclusive rights to show UFC PPV events in the US.

I doubt conversations around the status of the likes of Conor McGregor or Brock Lesnar even entered the picture.

Brand first era

Between ESPN and UFC, I expect fighters to be packaged and promoted differently to audiences. I expect the ‘story’ of the champions and rising stars to be sold more compellingly, with less reliance on outstanding personalities to sell the product.

As Conor alludes to himself, the UFC is (and will always be) about the brand over the fighter.

If Conor McGregor comes along with them, great. If not, I believe the UFC knows it strong enough to excel regardless.