UFC 303 might have been the only instance when fans felt a sense of certainty in recent times when it came to Conor McGregor‘s return to action. However, with his antics outside the Octagon ever since pulling out of that pay-per-view in June last year, the hopes of his UFC comeback are at an all-time low. Furthermore, the former double champ’s decision to run for the President of Ireland has added more fuel to the belief that his career might have ended.

“Like I said, I’ve got two fights on the contract. I’m in negotiations. Last week, something happened to me. I went to the White House and my country is in my—my heart bleeds for my country right now. So there’s a lot of stuff going on back home. I’m happy with what I’ve done. There’s something else for me that’s in my gut right now and that’s kind of where I’m going, so we’ll see.” McGregor told the media at the BKFC 70 presser last week. Seems surprising to the fight but not Matt Brown!

The former UFC welterweight fighter reminded us that this was always ‘The Notorious’ plan. During a recent interview, Brown seemed to have done his research on Conor McGregor and his past statements owing to his thought-provoking comments. The UFC veteran claimed that the former double champion never wanted to fight for too long in the first place and reminded us of what he said over a decade ago.

“Bro, he told us, like what, probably ten years ago, what he was gonna do. Like, do you remember him talking about it? Saying, ‘I’m gonna come here, I’m gonna take over, I’m gonna make money and I’m gonna get the f— out,'” Brown told MMA Fighting. In addition to that, ‘The Immortal’ also seemed to be impressed with how McGregor has been able to keep himself relevant. Moreover, the veteran stated that the Irishman played the media like a fiddle.

“He literally told us, and he’s done it… If you had $500 million in the bank, you wouldn’t fight either. I have heard some arguments like, ‘Woah, LeBron [James] keeps playing,’ and it’s like he’s not fighting, bro. He’s not putting his life on the line,” Matt Brown further stated. “This is not, like, surprising at all, right? He’s just finally, actually, he loves being in the news, right? He likes staying relevant, putting his two cents in everything. He’s kept his voice out there. And we’ve all paid attention. And we’re still talking about it, and he’s done a good job of that.”

For the unversed, McGregor once tweeted: “Get in. Get Rich. Get out.” This was in 2014 when he revealed that he doesn’t plan to fight any longer than he needs to. The Dubliner claimed that the ‘fight game’ is pretty brutal. “I’m smarter than I look. I will not stay in the fight [game]. It’s a dangerous business,” McGregor stated in an interview a few months after posting that tweet. This is exactly what Brown was talking about. He pointed out the most obvious factor that has kept the Irishman from making his comeback. His financial position!

Concerning the Dubliner’s recent BKFC presser comments, the sentiment also expressed by Brown who believed that the Irishman was “confirming what we kind of already knew.” Well, the former UFC champion appears to have the backing of MMA legend Chael Sonnen if he chooses to bow out of the game because there’s no point in coming back. Here’s what the former 3-time title challenger had to say!

Chael Sonnen claims Conor McGregor will get thrashed if he comes back

With the Irishman estimated to be worth around $200 million, Chael Sonnen, much like Matt Brown, is pretty convinced that money isn’t an issue for Conor McGregor. But on the other hand, ‘The American Gangster’ pointed out that ‘The Notorious’ has been a busy customer with his other endeavors. Be it his brands, his role as a promoter, and his many high-profile public appearances. Given that it’s been almost four years since he last fought, Sonnen claimed McGregor is not even in any condition to fight anybody. Let alone in a main event!

“I don’t even mean that to be a j–k. When they bring him back, they put him in a main event and all of a sudden you’re asking him to do five rounds. We’ve got a guy who can’t breathe for a full round. This is just a reality,” Chael Sonnen stated on the Good Guy/Bad Guy show. “And there’s no reason to come back. There’s an a-s whooping waiting for you, apparently, life is good without it. He can still make headlines without it.”

Well, there you have it! The majority of the MMA community seems convinced that we’ve seen the last of Conor McGregor inside the UFC Octagon. But what do you think? With all the arguments from MMA figures at your disposal, let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.