Irish fighter Conor McGregor, who said on Twitter earlier on Tuesday that he was walking away from the sport of mixed martial arts, has been pulled from the UFC’s main event in July.
UFC President Dana White did not confirm McGregor’s retirement but said he would no longer be fighting a rematch with Nate Diaz on the UFC 200 card on July 9 after refusing to fly to Las Vegas for a news conference and promotional photos.
American Diaz handed McGregor his first UFC loss earlier this month when he chocked him into submission in a non-title bout at UFC 196.
“I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya’s later,” McGregor, 27, said on Twitter.
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Gallery from UFC 196: Nate Diaz defeats Conor McGregor at UFC 196 — in pictures
The news comes a week after Portuguese fighter Joao Carvalho died following injuries sustained in a bout in Dublin against McGregor’s teammate, Charlie Ward.
McGregor, who was sitting ringside at that fight, said on his Facebook page that combat sport was a “crazy game” and that Carvalho’s death was “heartbreaking”.
“It is such a rare occurrence that I don’t know how to take this,” he said.
McGregor surged through the featherweight ranks before knocking out champion Jose Aldo in 13 seconds in December. He has become the UFC’s hottest property with his outrageous trash-talking outside the cage and vicious skills inside it.
His stunning loss in March, where he went up two divisions to fight Diaz at welterweight, came as another blow to the UFC following the previously undefeated Ronda Rousey’s loss to Holly Holm.
Holm caused one of the greatest upsets in combat sport when she knocked out Rousey in Melbourne to snatch the world bantamweight title last November.
Diaz, no stranger to trash-talking himself, responded to McGregor’s Tweet with one of his own: “I guess my work here is done I’m retiring too.”
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
