“Big” John McCarthy sat down recently to speak with Sports Illustrated about his decision to leave the octagon and what the future may hold for him in commentating.

McCarthy also clarified the reasons behind his decision to leave the octagon, and doesn't appear to rule out a return to the UFC at some point.

"With commission rules, it got harder for me do some things," said McCarthy. Basically commissions thought it was a conflict of interest to do broadcasting of fighters if I would be refereeing those same fighters. So I got this opportunity with the fight network and it was time to make the move. It’s possible I could do some fights. If it got to a point where it was outside Nevada and there wasn’t the [conflict of interest rule] I would consider it. Maybe in another country. But right now, I didn’t really have a choice.