McGregor to UFC in Twitter rant: Get on your knees and beg me to return

Conor McGregor kicked off 2018 with a bold ultimatum.

The reigning UFC lightweight champ remains in a state of limbo after trading the Octagon for a boxing ring in the newly expired year, and spent the first morning of the new one laying down the terms he aims to see met if he's to return to action.

In a Twitter rant that began with a lambasting of top contender Khabib Nurmagomedov's dominant showing over Edson Barboza at Saturday's UFC 219, McGregor demanded to be paid his due and proper:

The Irishman wasted little time upping the ante, aiming to make supplicants out of the UFC now that he's pocketed a nine-figure check in his August boxing match with Floyd Mayweather and put on his entrepreneur hat:

McGregor hasn't fought in four-ounce gloves since winning the lightweight crown with a second-round knockout of Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 more than 13 months ago. He's remained noncommittal on his next move, and doesn't appear intent on returning to action unless he and the promotion can hammer out a new deal.

UFC president Dana White, for one, hopes to see McGregor back in the cage this summer, while Nurmagomedov has since issued a blunt retort to the Irishman's assessment of his latest exploits: