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Brett Okamoto
Conor McGregor has withdrawn from Ireland’s presidential election, and labeled the election process itself as being undemocratic.
McGregor, 37, was a longshot at best to appear on the ballot in October, as that would have required the nominations of 20 members of parliament or four local authorities. The former UFC champion had tried to combine his massive following on social media with the backing of other key figures, such as Elon Musk, to generate a nomination, but announced he would cease those efforts on Sunday.
“I want to assure the people of Ireland that this will not be my last election,” McGregor wrote on X. “You will see me canvassing again in the future, fighting for your rights and representing the best interests of our nation.”
Although McGregor remains a popular figure on social media, his standing within the nation of Ireland — particularly as a political figure — is questionable. In November, McGregor was found liable in a sexual assault case stemming from an incident in 2018, in which he was accused of raping a woman at a hotel in Dublin. A recent poll by Sunday Independent in Ireland found only 7% of respondents would have voted for McGregor.
McGregor (22-6) has not fought in the UFC since he suffered a broken leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021. He has expressed interest in fighting at the UFC’s planned event at the U.S. White House in summer 2026.