UFC superstar Justin Gaethje isn’t buying what Conor McGregor is selling when it comes to his Irish presidential campaign.
Conor McGregor is taking a big gamble in moving into Irish politics, and away from his legendary fighting career, as he prepares to run for the president of Ireland in 2025. But according to a fellow UFC superstar, McGregor’s political aspirations are all based on a public-relations stunt.
McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC Octagon since injuring his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Since then, he was supposed to return to MMA at UFC 303 opposite Michael Chandler last June, before withdrawing due to a toe injury.
While McGregor’s previously planned MMA comeback is becoming less likely by the day, he remains active in other ventures, including a new passion for making radical changes in his home country.
Justin Gaethje calls Conor McGregor’s bluff on political aspirations
McGregor almost broke the internet when he announced his intentions to run for president in Ireland in the upcoming elections. While political experts in Ireland give McGregor minimal chances of making the ballot, nonetheless winning the election, McGregor remains undeterred in his pursuit of making changes to Irish political leadership.
McGregor’s political run has received mixed reactions from the combat sports community. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira declared that McGregor was done fighting, and was potentially proven correct after McGregor’s appearance at a recent Bare Knuckle FC press conference.
If that’s the case, and McGregor is indeed done competing in the cage, one of his former lightweight colleagues believes McGregor’s political aspirations are all part of an act.
During a recent episode of Funky and the Champ, Justin Gaethje made a surprise call to Daniel Cormier, and was asked about the chances of McGregor becoming Ireland’s president.
“Daniel, stop calling me for this dumb s—,” Gaethje told Cormier. “Terrible question. He doesn’t know s— about Ireland, and he doesn’t f—ing care. America, baby.”
Gaethje’s comments aren’t on an island, as this is the latest in a series of attacks traded between him and McGregor in recent years. After McGregor’s back-to-back losses to Poirier in 2021, Gaethje expressed profound enjoyment in the Irish superstar’s demise.
McGregor responded by mocking Gaethje as a ‘clown’ following a submission defeat to Oliveira at UFC 274. As of this writing, McGregor hasn’t responded to Gaethje’s latest remarks.
Conor McGregor puts fighting on the shelf to potentially become Ireland’s political leader
McGregor proved his seriousness about a move into the political realm during a recent visit to the White House to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. The invitation to McGregor came after Trump publicly praised McGregor’s fighting accomplishments during a meeting with Irish political leaders, and McGregor responded by touting Trump’s ‘inspiring work ethic’.
McGregor raised eyebrows when he hinted that his fighting career might be coming to an end after the White House meeting. UFC leadership hasn’t publicly commented on McGregor’s assertions that he might be finished fighting, and McGregor remains under contract with the promotion.
As for Gaethje, he’s potentially next in line for a lightweight title shot against UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, who is expected to return later this year. Gaethje defeated Rafael Fiziev by unanimous decision at UFC 313, an extraordinary bounceback performance after getting knocked out by Max Holloway.
McGregor and Gaethje will likely never be friendly, and time will tell if McGregor’s political goals will yield positive results. As for McGregor’s fighting future, a BKFC debut is now more likely to come to fruition than a return to MMA.