TLDR
- Conor McGregor has not fought since suffering a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in 2021
- McGregor posted he would accept a ‘no-name’ opponent but later deleted the message
- UFC president Dana White says no fight contract has been finalized for McGregor’s return
- Max Holloway and Colby Covington have both expressed interest in fighting McGregor
- McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh criticized weight cutting rules for the UFC 326 BMF title fight
Sources: Bloody Elbow | BJPenn.com | AOL | TMZ
Conor McGregor appears frustrated with the slow progress of his UFC return, recently posting that he would accept a fight against an unranked opponent. The Irish fighter has not competed since 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier.
McGregor wrote on social media that “It’s a no name up next for me possibly, folks […] I ACCEPT. Send the contract, lads.” He later deleted the post but returned to social media on Monday to write: “Day 15 of ‘I accept, send the contract.'”
UFC president Dana White addressed McGregor’s return last week, saying the upcoming White House fight card on June 14 is “built.” White added about McGregor’s next fight: “If it was done and he accepted it, I would announce it.”
Contract Disputes and Potential Opponents
McGregor suggested last month that his contract needs to be reworked due to the UFC’s new deal with Paramount+. “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.
The 37-year-old fighter said he is the highest-generating pay-per-view fighter in UFC history. He stated negotiations were set to begin in February.
White has ruled out several potential opponents for McGregor, including Colby Covington and Michael Chandler. McGregor was scheduled to face Chandler in 2024 but withdrew two weeks before the fight, citing a broken toe.
Covington remains optimistic about fighting McGregor despite White’s denial. Covington interprets White’s response as a positive sign and recalls their friendly interaction at Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration.
Max Holloway told TMZ Sports he would be open to a rematch with McGregor. “I think everybody in the UFC or anywhere, you’d be stupid as hell to not take that fight, man,” Holloway said.
McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision in August 2013, when both fighters were early in their careers. McGregor also suffered a torn ACL during that fight.
Coach Weighs In on Weight Cutting
John Kavanagh, McGregor’s longtime coach, recently criticized the weight requirements for the UFC 326 main event between Holloway and Charles Oliveira. The fight is scheduled for a BMF title with a lightweight limit.
Kavanagh posted on X that both fighters will cut a huge amount of weight to make 155 pounds. “In this case both are let’s say 180ish….will cut to 155 then back to 180ish….why not skip the weight cutting part and fight 180ish,” Kavanagh wrote.
Some argue the fight must be contested at 155 pounds because of implications for the lightweight title picture. A win for Holloway or Oliveira could lead to a title shot depending on future developments.
Holloway told Stake.com that if he beats Oliveira on Saturday, he wouldn’t mind running things back with McGregor. The UFC 326 fight takes place in Las Vegas this weekend.
McGregor’s overall record stands at 22-6. He became the first dual-weight champion in UFC history by winning titles at featherweight and lightweight in 2015 and 2016.
His expected return is likely to take place at welterweight, where he has fought three times. McGregor is 2-1 at that weight, including a 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone in 2020.
