EA Sports UFC 2's Cover Athlete Conor McGregor Retires, Any Impact on the Game?

[RaychelSnr]

There may or may not be an EA Sports UFC Cover Curse -- but what I do know is that EA Sports UFC 2 lost half of its cover star-power when Conor McGregor decided to shock the world and retire yesterday.

Quote:

"UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor will not fight Nate Diaz at UFC 200 on July 9 in Las Vegas. Whether he will fight again period remains a question. UFC president Dana White announced Tuesday night on SportsCenter that the promotion has pulled McGregor from the main event at UFC 200, due to the Irishman's unwillingness to fly to Las Vegas and participate in mandatory promotional activities."

This obviously comes as a shock -- and as of yet there has been no reasoning for McGregor's departure from UFC.

EA Sports UFC 2 obviously is now down a cover athlete, and more importantly MMA is down a pretty big star heading into a huge UFC event on July 9, 2016. There are a couple of interesting questions on whether EA releases a new edition of the game with a new cover and if there's any possibility that McGregor could be removed from the game. The latter seems unlikely, but its not impossible -- especially if there's really bad blood between UFC/McGregor.

What do you think? Is McGregor's sudden retirement a problem for EA at all? Will there be problems for the UFC?

Update: In a statement on Facebook, it appears McGregor says he's not retired after all (4/21).

[SportsGameGod]

Plenty of retired fighters in the game. Not a chance he would be taken out. Doesn't make much sense to even think that would be an option.

[TheBleedingRed21]

You better not sell a game with the cover athlete not in the game in this day and age.

[fballturkey]

Saying that there's any chance Conor could be removed is ridiculous.

[stocksy]

More chance of EA adding me as DLC than them removing him.

[scyth223]

Lol, way to make things up. Questions on whether EA releases a new edition of the game or mcgregor is removed from the game.

Neither. Even if he does retire there's a very good chance things will be worked out and he will fight again in the future so why removed him.

Also Pat Barry is still in the game and he retired like 3 years ago...so yeah.

[stocksy]

He is not retiring now apparently...

Lucky EA didn't delete him this morning

[kingsofthevalley]

I'm wondering why is this even a topic? Am I missing an angle here? What does him retiring have to do with his character in the game?