Conor McGregor has not fought in nearly three years in the octagon. Dana White‘s former champion almost made a comeback last month. However ‘The Notorious’ had to back out due to last minute injury. The Irishman has now given fans an update on his potential return to the octagon.
Conor McGregor recently gave an interview to ESPN MMA. In that interview, the UFC champion talked about his potential return to the UFC. McGregor had previously disclosed ongoing discussions with UFC CEO, Dana White. McGregor gave a statement saying that he plans to return by the end of this year.
My comeback is scheduled for the year, sometime the end of this year, closing out the show. So, I was close to returning, we had an incident and had a postponement had to happen and, you know, it is what it is. We take it on the chin, we rock on. The fight is rescheduled for the end of this calendar year, so I’m excited about that and eager to get back.
Conor McGregor on ESPN MMA
Conor McGregor had to withdraw from his highly anticipated UFC 303 fight against Michael Chandler. This was due to a broken toe he suffered during training. The injury was significant enough to force him out of the main event, scheduled for earlier this June. The withdrawal continued McGregor’s prolonged absence from the UFC since his leg break in 2021.
McGregor recently spoke to the media outside of the BKFC press conference. Reporter Chisanga Malata asked if December 14th would be the new date for ‘The Notorious’s much-anticipated return. McGregor replied: “That sounds good to me.” Therefore, the Irishman should step back into the octagon by the end of the year.
Dana White compares Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey
Dana White has expressed concerns for Conor McGregor. The UFC CEO said the Irishman may face a fate similar to one of his earlier star fighters. White recently sat down for an episode on Shaquille O’Neal‘s podcast where he drew similarities between Conor McGregor’s current situation and what happened to former UFC champion, Ronda Rousey.
Dana White on Conor McGregor (Image via Imago)White said that when so much money gets involved in the fight business, it is tough for fighters to not get distracted. He talked about the many opportunities that fell off Rousey’s lap that ultimately led to her downfall. The UFC CEO pointed out that Conor McGregor’s situation is much more intense.
The Conor thing is, much like Ronda. So many opportunities fell on Ronda because of who she was…It ended up being her downfall, the money and everything else…She doesn’t have to work, she doesn’t have to do anything…Conor McGregor is 10x that.
Dana White on The Big Podcast
Ronda Rousey was at the height of her career between 2013 and 2015 when she was the UFC Women’s bantamweight champion. Her undefeated streak came to an end with her loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 followed by a subsequent loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207.
After this fight, Rousey stepped away from MMA and eventually transitioned to professional wrestling with WWE. McGregor is now on the verge of finishing his contract with the UFC. With a net worth of $200 million and multiple opportunities in front of him, it will be interesting to see how the UFC superstar shapes his legacy.
!
