Conor McGregor has decided not to participate in the Irish presidential elections, calling the electoral process undemocratic. The 37-year-old former UFC champion faced a high hurdle to be included on the October ballot. To do so, he needed the support of 20 members of parliament or four local authorities. Despite trying to combine his massive social media presence with the backing of figures like Elon Musk, McGregor announced on Sunday that he would cease his efforts.
“I want to assure the people of Ireland that this will not be my last foray into elections,” McGregor wrote on X. “You will see me campaigning again in the future, fighting for your rights and representing the best interests of our nation.”
Conor McGregorAlthough McGregor remains a popular figure on social media, his position within Ireland, especially as a political figure, is questionable. In November, McGregor was found guilty in a sexual assault case that occurred in 2018, where he was accused of raping a woman in a Dublin hotel. A recent poll by the Sunday Independent in Ireland revealed that only 7% of respondents would have voted for McGregor. McGregor (22-6) hasn’t fought in the UFC since suffering a broken leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021. He has expressed interest in fighting at the UFC event planned at the White House in the United States in the summer of 2026.
