It may be Dana White's favorite time of the year now that his Contender Series competition has fired back up for its eighth season, but he can't seem to escape the impending uncertainty of whether UFC legend Conor McGregor will return to fight in the octagon. The saga continued on Tuesday as White was once again questioned about McGregor's status during his most recent post-fight press conference. Be sure to follow our UFC news for more breaking content!
Dana White addressed the media following the opening week of Dana White's Contender Series Season 8. The audition fights were action-packed with knockouts and a wild night of finishes resulted in four UFC contracts for new fight talent. During the post-card presser, however, the questions took a slight deviation towards Conor McGregor, as they usually do.
When asked whether he met with Conor McGregor and discussed the upcoming bout against Michael Chandler, White replied, “We talked, we didn't meet-up but we talked. And yeah, he wants to fight. We'll figure it out.” When asked whether it would be soon, White seemed less enthused, replying, “Not this year, he won't fight this year.”
This of course stems from Conor McGregor's injury at UFC 264 and the long road of rehabilitation to getting into fight-ready shape. McGregor is also vastly occupied with other business ventures, partying, starring in movies, and spending time with his family. However, it didn't take long for the former double-champ to respond to White's comments.
In a since-deleted tweet, McGregor calls December 2024 as the date he'd like to return. He's previously been vocal about his desire to fight before the calendar year is over, but it seems as though he's now adament about finishing 2024 with a “winning event.” McGregor also hints that he's preparing a trip next month to train at altitude in preparation for the fight. Where that may be is still to be determined and knowing McGregor, we'll have to see it first to know if he's serious or just pulling White's leg.
Still, it's worth noting that the two share a great working relationship and White always sings McGregor's praises when it comes to business and what he's done for both the sport and UFC. Michael Chandler is also in a tough spot here given the magnitude of this fight and what he can benefit from it, so he'll continue to wait patiently just like the rest of us until McGregor sorts his affairs.
Do you think McGregor will return this year? The next? Will he ever fight again?
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