​Despite an embarrassing loss at UFC 329 that should make him seriously consider retirement, Conor McGregor plans to return to the Octagon in 2027. There are two big reasons why, and one of them is pretty sad.There was a ton of excitement heading into this weekend’s UFC 329 card. For the first time in five long years, the most popular fighter in UFC history was stepping back into the cage. While he entered the bout as a solid underdog to Max Holloway, fans nonetheless were overjoyed to see the former two-division champion back in action. However, no one expected the fight to end as it did.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSeconds into the fight, McGregor chose to throw a dangerous high kick that had very little chance of actually connecting. However, what it did do was snap a ligament in his right knee after he tried to plant his foot on the mat following the attempt. The bout was then ended a little over a minute into it because the Irishman was unable to compete with a completely compromised joint.It was revealed on Monday morning that the 37-year-old will now undergo surgery and will likely be sidelined for the next year. With a 1-4 record in his last five UFC bouts, not having a win since 2020, and heading into another major leg surgery (he broke his left leg in his 2021 fight against Dustin Poirier), there are enough reasons for him to just walk away from the sport.Yet, despite having millions in the bank and endeavors outside the cage, on Sunday, McGregor revealed his intentions to fight inside the Octagon again. “Surgery. Prehab. Return to martial arts practice. Go again. Final fight of the contract. Please God!” he wrote in an Instagram post.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBy the time he is ready to compete again, he will be 38-years-old and has had more major leg surgeries than he’s had wins over the last six years. Why would he actually put in all the hard work necessary for another fight camp? Well, there are two very big reasons why McGregor wants to fight in the UFC again despite an embarrassing last few years of his career.There is no doubt that McGregor is very passionate about the fight game and enjoys competing. However, any successful athlete will admit that when you reach the level of success that “Notorious” has, it’s extremely hard to recreate the fire they had on their rise to the top. That has clearly been a problem for him, and why he waited five years to return to the Octagon.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementYet, following his loss on Saturday night, UFC legend Dominick Cruz suggested another reason why McGregor came back to the fight game. It wasn’t because he loved it. He needs it because his life away from competition is a mess.“I think the reason why he was coming back was to save his own life from the money. From the lifestyle that he’s been living,” Cruz said on the post-fight broadcast. “I think that he’s going to be facing that again. God’s going to keep putting the sam