After his return to the UFC Octagon at UFC 303 this past June was canceled, Conor McGregor has been calling for his highly anticipated return fight to take place in December but UFC CEO Dana White has other ideas.
Whilst being away from the UFC Octagon, Conor McGregor has been leaning heavily into his co-ownership role with BKFC, continuously making appearances at their events and even hosting press conferences.
The former UFC two-weight world champion was scheduled to return this past June to finally take on Michael Chandler but just a few weeks out from the date, the Irishman withdrew because of a broken toe.
Dana White confirms Conor McGregor’s return timeline amid Jake Paul’s conspiracy
Since then, both ‘The Notorious’ and ‘Iron’ Chandler have been calling for their fight to be re-booked for December, however, UFC CEO Dana White has different ideas.
From now till the end of the year, the promotion seemingly has the majority of its big PPV’s booked with only November’s UFC 309 and December’s UFC 310 without their headliners.
The UFC boss has admitted that even when McGregor’s fight against Chandler was booked, he wasn’t confident the 36-year-old was going to compete this year.
“Let me tell you this, I was the one this year saying I don’t think he’s gonna fight this year, all the talks and everything else, even the fight being set up and the press conference,” White told New York Post Sports.
White went on to provide a timeline for McGregor’s return stating that he won’t fight in December and instead, will be targeted to return in early 2025, making it almost four years since his last fight.
“Conor McGregor will fight next year, early 2025, and as far as he’s had so much time off, as far as the hunger, he’s a very wealthy guy, we’ll find out when he comes back but he is definitely one of the big superstars of the sport that has elevated the UFC throughout Europe and other parts of the world, he’s been a big star and a great partner for us,” White continued.
Jake Paul believes the UFC is delaying McGregor for better leverage on a new broadcast deal
McGregor’s comeback delay has been subject to several conspiracy theories with it first thought that his out-of-cage antics caused the delay.
Despite that, boxing superstar Jake Paul has offered his theory as to why the Irishman’s return keeps getting delayed, claiming that the UFC is keeping him from fighting for better leverage on a new television broadcast deal.
White has made it clear that the promotion is in talks over a new broadcast deal as their deal with ESPN is set to run out in January 2025 and with McGregor only having two fights left on his contract, ‘The Problem Child’ believes the UFC is trying to take those fights into the new deal.
“A part of that negotiation is, ‘Hey, we have Conor McGregor for two more fights’ but if he were to fight now, that wouldn’t be part of negotiations – that’s why Conor is not fighting right now,” Paul claimed in a recent episode of BS w/ Jake Paul Podcast.
With only two fights left on his deal, McGregor has made it clear that once he has fought out of his deal, he will take his talents to the BKFC ring in a shocking new venture.
