The world of MMA has not seen a star brighter and bigger than Conor McGregor. So, the Irishman’s prolonged absence from the Octagon has frustrated fans all over the globe. Is he planning on a return, or have we seen the last of McGregor in the UFC arena? Here is all we know about his comeback.
What Does the UFC Say?
UFC president Dana White claimed last year that we will see McGregor back in action in 2025. White has also expressed the same optimism this year. McGregor’s last UFC appearance was in 2021, where he suffered a broken leg in a trilogy loss to Dustin Poirier.
Back in February 2023, it was confirmed that McGregor would take on Michael Chandler next, though the date remained unclear. That changed after UFC 300, when White confirmed the fight would go down in June 2024. But the bout was put on hold after McGregor broke his toe.
He was the odds-on favorite to win the fight, but after the unfortunate injury, it’s uncertain whether his physical condition will remain the same.
As things stand, it would be a risky gamble to predict when McGregor could return for another fight. Betting sites had released early odds for the McGregor-Chandler fight, but since the clash is uncertain now, there’s no word on when to expect McGregor’s next appearance, and if it does take place, what to expect from it.
McGregor is still the UFC’s front man; should he return in 2025, plenty of thrilling fights will be waiting for him.
What Is Conor McGregor Saying?
McGregor’s intentions to return to the Octagon have been unclear; a recent cryptic social media post has added more to speculation. While there have been teases of a potential return, no official communication has taken place.
After hinting at retirement at a Bare Knuckle FC press conference, he’s now open to returning to the UFC, even as he explores political aspirations.
Many fans believed McGregor’s plans to run in the upcoming Irish presidential election had ruled out any chance of a fighting return. But, as we’ve come to expect from McGregor, he’s had a change of heart—though he’s set a big condition for his UFC comeback.
McGregor has always wanted to fight in a stadium at least once in his career, but White is holding him back. The UFC boss refuses to consider the idea of hosting UFC events in giant stadiums.
After watching WWE’s WrestleMania take over Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, McGregor set one condition for his UFC comeback: a stadium fight.
“I’ll only come back to a stadium,” McGregor said via a post on X.
Paddy Pimblett might be a possible opponent for McGregor’s UFC return. With McGregor, Pimblett has been pushing for a Wembley Stadium clash with a staggering 90,000 capacity. The British fighter has been campaigning for a stadium clash and was previously linked to a potential fight with McGregor.
McGregor, however, seems adamant to get his fight against Chandler.
“IRON MIKE CHANDLER. Unfinished business,” he wrote on X in a separate post after the stadium announcement.
Chandler is on board with the idea. After McGregor’s posts, the former Bellator champion quickly expressed his interest in the matchup.
“Unfinished business loading….” Chandler wrote.
Chandler then hopped onto Threads, posting a series of updates to share his thoughts about the potential fight.
Poirier gave McGregor his first TKO loss at UFC 257 before his leg injury in 2021. McGregor has since lost three of his last four fights, including a submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.
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