Conor McGregor Suggests Rumored Rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Is Dead

The August boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor captured the imaginations of combat sports fans the world over and became one of the biggest pay-per-view successes in history.

Similarly, the rumored MMA bout between the pair has also taken the world by storm...but if McGregor is to be believed, the dream (re)match won't become reality.

In an Instagram post Sunday, McGregor stated Mayweather has pulled out of negotiations for a rematch and will remain retired.

"I am happy for Floyd and his recent announcement that he is out of these current fight negotiations," he said in a snarky post in which he took a series of subtle jabs at the boxer.

"It is the reason I never seeked the rematch in the first place. I was happy for him in retirement. ...

"Have a great retirement Junior.

"Now come here and give your old man a hug for old times sake."

In recent weeks, there have been hints that Mayweather could transition to MMA, highlighted by a video of Mayweather stepping into a cage. While the idea of the 40-year-old competing in the Octagon felt far-fetched, there is no question an MMA (re)match with McGregor would bring in huge revenue, making it impossible to brush off the idea.

McGregor's words should be taken with a grain of salt, but it is worth noting Mayweather dismissed the idea of facing McGregor again when he talked with MMAjunkie.com's Mike Bohn at NBA All-Star Weekend:

So is Mayweather-McGregor II dead? Was it ever alive to begin with? It's impossible to say.

Still, McGregor's absence from the Octagon, Mayweather's possible interest in a return and fans' enduring appetite for this pairing will keep it a must-watch story.