‘I’m barely touched’ – Conor McGregor shuts down retirement question from James Corden with ‘anaesthesia’ claim

UFC legend Conor McGregor insists he has no intention of retiring any time soon.

‘Notorious’ is currently preparing to make his long-awaited return to the octagon this summer after spending three years on the sidelines.

McGregor claims he will face Michael Chandler on June 29 – the date of UFC 303 – in a middleweight bout in Las Vegas, although this has not been officially confirmed by the UFC at the time of writing.

The Irishman doesn’t need to fight again having amassed an estimated £200million during his money-spinning MMA career, prompting fans to question why he is choosing to carry on.

James Corden put this to McGregor when the former two-weight UFC champion joined him for a recent taping of SiriusXM’s ‘This Life of Mine with James Corden’.

“Has there ever been a moment after a fight ever that either your mother or dear said to you, ‘Sweetheart, we’ve got enough. we don’t need anymore,'” said the popular actor and television host.

To which, McGregor replied: “No. I’m barely touched. I only got clipped once and then the leg break, that’s it.

“I’ve put more people to sleep than anaesthesia, than surgical procedure so as far as freshness, I’m as a fresh as it gets in this business.

“As far as freshness I’m as fresh as it gets in this business. So there has not been a iota from my family.

“Not yet, not if I get a nice roll going which I’m hoping for and I get a nice four fights in a year and then eight fights again the next year.

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“Maybe then there is more trauma, there is more wins and losses, who knows.

“Maybe then there is a conversation, but right now to this day, not an iota. My faculties are there.

“I’m fresh. I’m sharp and let me get to go again.”

McGregor has taken a remarkable lack of damage during his 28-fight (22-6) MMA career.

He has only ever been stopped once via strikes (the first fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021) while the majority of his contests have ended early doors thanks to his devastating punching power.

The only other damaging bouts he has been a part of during his 16 years in the sport were his two barnburners with Nate Diaz and his submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov, where he was sat down with a right hand and tapped out with a rear naked choke.