Conor McGregor still at odds with UFC over 'taxing' media obligations: 'I need to isolate myself'

How did Nate Diaz get 24-inch pythons?

By staying in Stockton, Calif., and hitting the gym, something UFC 202 opponent Conor McGregor can't seem to do ahead of their UFC 202 pay-per-view (PPV) rematch in August. Probably because he's too busy with his "taxing" media obligations to promote his Octagon return.

Nobody told me there'd be days like these.

McGregor vents during coach John Kavanagh's book tour (via MMA Fighting):

"We're still back and forth with media obligations. It's going on right to this second. It's never-ending. They want to pull you left and right. I think some people don't understand how taxing that is, especially coming after a loss like that where I really truly need to look out for me and get myself right and come out the way I need to feel. I can't fatigue like that and live with myself after that. Seeing the way the last fight happened, I can't live with it. I need to isolate myself and just get my work in and come back and get my revenge. And that's what I'm doing. When you see it going all over the place, I'm like, 'Oh shit, now it's hit the fan.' It was a semi-joke in it. It was kind of a negotiating tactic, going back and forth with the UFC. And then it's on CNN."

It's all fun and games until somebody gets choked out.

McGregor was expected to rematch Diaz at the UFC 200 PPV extravaganza next month in "Sin City," but the aforementioned media obligations gave him pause, which then forced a public and messy war of words between Team Dublin and UFC officials.

But a juicy steak can fix anything.

They say all's well that ends well, but I'm not sure if this "back-and-forth" over how much media has actually ended.

And Aug. 20 is still a lonnnnng way off.