What do we make of the Conor McGregor retirement fiasco?

Promotional stunt?

Is this just another trick being pulled by the master promoter that is Conor McGregor?

While the official word from the UFC is that Conor McGregor was pulled from UFC 200 as he refused to promote his fight, this reasoning beggars belief and raises a few eyebrows given how adept the Irishman has proved at the promotional aspects of the fight game in the past.

From embarking upon a world tour and whipping up a huge buzz surrounding his Featherweight Title fight against Jose Aldo, to even conducting his own post-fight conference following the 13 second knockout of the Brazilian, Conor McGregor has always proved to be in his element when fulfilling promotional duties.

So for a man that readdressed the importance of fighters in marketing themselves in today’s dynamic, it would suggest a stange and anomalous departure from his modus operandi that he is refusing to play ball with the UFC in this instance.

If one looks at the situation objectively then, this could all well be a stunt that is being pulled with both sides in conjunction with the other. For if it is, nothing could garner more attention and eyeballs, both hardcore and mainstream, on the UFC 200 event.

And almost too conveniently, the Tickets on Sale press conference for the event is pencilled in to happen this friday in Las Vegas.

Could this be an instance of mere coincidental timing, or is it after all – as many would no doubt prefer it to be – a promotional ruse of pure genius?