Conor McGregor Reveals He’s A Free Agent After Mayweather Bout

Conor McGregor may have come up short in his boxing debut against all-time great Floyd Mayweather (watch full highlights here) last night (Sat., August 26, 2017) from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., but “The Notorious” UFC champion obviously still has a bevy of lucrative fights awaiting him once he decides to return – be it in MMA or the boxing ring once again.

He’s certainly earned at least a brief amount of time to reset and collect his thoughts, as he put forth an effort that many felt was impossible due to him having no professional boxing bouts on his resumé. Both he and his boss, UFC President Dana White, have suggested McGregor will be back in the octagon before 2017 is finished.

It’s certainly what the UFC needs – especially in the aftermath of Jon Jones’ latest failed drug test – but McGregor says he needs to discuss his financial arrangement with new UFC owners WME-IMG, and wouldn’t rule out a possible boxing return during the during the Mayweather vs. McGregor post-fight press conference.

While the MMA superstar won’t commit to anything just yet, he did also hint at a possible trilogy bout with his longtime rival Nate Diaz in the near future (transcribed by MMA Fighting):

“I’m certainly open to hearing what WME-IMG, what they want, and what Showtime wants, and if they want me to come over to boxing then we can talk. I’m certainly young. Twenty-nine years of age. I don’t think the boxing world or the fighting world has seen a man as confident as this come in at this age and with this amount of accolades and this amount of records and this amount of revenue generated. So I’m certainly open to all options.

“I have certainly many contenders in the mixed martial arts game. I have a trilogy bout with Nate Diaz that’s sitting there, I have options.”

Diaz seems to most certainly want the fight, especially considering scenes like these. But while the options are certainly open for McGregor, who just turned 29, he obviously isn’t quite sure exactly what’s next even though he wants to continue to improve in the boxing game:

“People ask me what’s next. I’m not quite sure what’s next,” McGregor said. “I have multiple titles in the UFC to think about and I could always continue in the boxing game so what’s next for me is to continue to study and continue to learn.”

So with the entire combat sports world speculating about what’s next for arguably its biggest star, McGregor himself isn’t in as much of a rush. He’s proud to have accomplished what he did versus Mayweather, even in a loss, and revealed he was a ‘free agent’ who had his name on the side of the ring in one of boxing’s biggest fights ever last night:

“I’m just relishing in it for now,” McGregor said. “I have many options in mixed martial arts. I’m sure there’s options now that will present themselves in the boxing game. Right now I’m a free agent, my name is on the ring. McGregor Sports and Entertainment on a boxing ring, that’s something — I’m very proud of that. So I’ll see what’s next, but I’m open.

“I love competing. I love a good fight. Tonight was a damn good fight and that’s why you’re seeing me up here showing my heart. I enjoyed myself and that’s it. Long may it continue. I can’t tell you exactly what’s next, but know something will be next.”