Conor McGregor has hinted at a level of frustration over his return to the UFC, as he continues to eye a summer fight.
McGregor has not fought since 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier, but he remains the biggest name in mixed martial arts.
And with the UFC planning an unprecedented fight card at the White House on 14 June, before their annual International Fight Week event this summer, there are readymade opportunities for McGregor to return.
However, it seems unlikely that the Irishman will feature at the White House, given UFC president Dana White said last week that the card is “built”, before adding of McGregor’s next fight: “If it was done and he accepted it, I would announce it.”
Those latter words followed a social-media post from McGregor, who had written: “It’s a no name up next for me possibly, folks [...] I ACCEPT. Send the contract, lads.” The 37-year-old later deleted the post.
However, he returned to social media on Monday to write: “Day 15 of ‘I accept, send the contract.’”
White had previously been coy about McGregor’s chances of fighting at the White House, despite the former champion’s desperation to feature. In any case, McGregor suggested last month that his contract needs to be reworked.
“They’ve got a new deal with Paramount... and my contract essentially is void right now, because there’s no more PPV [pay-per-view], whereas my contract was based on PPV sales,” McGregor claimed.
“I’m the highest-generating PPV fighter of all time [in the UFC]. The PPV system is done. I’m due a new contract. So, we’re going into negotiations in February, and I’m very interested to see how it goes.”
McGregor was referencing the fact that the UFC is no longer airing its events on pay-per-view in the US, with the promotion’s Paramount+ deal revolving around a subscription model.
Fans continue to speculate on McGregor’s opponent for a potential comeback, but White has ruled out Colby Covington and Michael Chandler, the latter of whom the Irishman was due to face in 2024.
McGregor withdrew from the bout on two weeks’ notice, citing a broken toe, and Chandler went on to lose to Charles Oliveira that November. McGregor and Chandler had been linked since early 2023, even filming a season of the reality television show The Ultimate Fighter together, on which they served as opposing coaches.
It is expected that McGregor’s return will take place at welterweight (170lb), where he has fought on three occasions, and where he was due to face Chandler. McGregor is 2-1 at the weight, having traded wins with Nate Diaz in 2016 before stopping Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds four years later.
However, his greatest successes came at featherweight (145lb) and lightweight (155lb). By winning the titles in those two divisions, in 2015 and 2016 respectively, he became the first dual-weight champion in UFC history. McGregor’s overall record stands at 22-6.
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