With Irish UFC superstar Conor McGregor facing Michael Chandler in the next season of The Ultimate Fighter (airing May 30), fan speculation is rife regarding the return of “The Notorious” to the Octagon.
White addressed the potential for the bout at the post-fight press conference, but his answer shed little light on the matter.
Dana White Offers Update for Conor McGregor’s Return to the UFC
“I don’t know. That’s the most-asked question I’m getting right now. Obviously, the season of The Ultimate Fighter airs soon, and during that season we will be working very hard to put that fight together.”
McGregor has been sidelined since July 2021, when he sustained a vicious leg break against Dustin Poirier. The catastrophic injury, and McGregor’s subsequent recovery, saw him withdraw from the USADA testing pool, and avoid competition for the two intervening years. Although McGregor is one of the two coaches on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, a date for McGregor vs Chandler has yet to materialize.
McGregor clearly does plan on returning at some point, however. In response to UFC veteran Matt Brown equalling Derrick Lewis’ knockout record, “The Notorious” took to Twitter to offer his take on the matter.
“Matt Brown, at 42 years of age, now holds the joint highest KO’s inside the UFC with 13KO’s. Him and “The Beast” Lewis are tied. I hold 8 KO’s inside the UFC currently, at 34 years of age.
I’m getting this record.” Of course, McGregor has his work cut out for him. The overwhelming majority – as in all but one – of his UFC victories came between 2013 and 2016. Since then, the Irishman’s UFC record is an abysmal 1-3. His most recent victory was his knockout win over Donald Cerrone in early 2020.
Most fans expect McGregor to return opposite Michael Chandler as the finale for The Ultimate Fighter, as is tradition for the TV show. A date has yet to be determined. If McGregor wants Brown’s record, he’ll need to be a far more consistent presence in the UFC over the next couple of years.
Another major question surrounding McGregor’s future in the Octagon is the weight class in which he will return. A recent promotion for The Ultimate Fighter saw him offer a 185-pound fight to Chandler, a massive step up from his UFC debut, which took place in the 145-pound featherweight division.
The ever-mercurial McGregor remains an enigma for now, but fans might get some insight into his UFC future on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.
