Conor McGregor has given a sobering update on his fighting future, and the lack of news surrounding his return appears to be on the UFC‘s side.
While promoting the upcoming Road House remake, set to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video, McGregor, who plays a villain in the film, addressed his future in the cage. Many had expected a bout between the Irish star and fellow TUF 31 coach Michael Chandler to have already been announced, but that has not come to pass despite McGregor publicly campaigning for a date in June during International Fight Week.
“I’m looking forward to getting back and regressing, resetting and recalibrating and remapping my return to the octagon,” McGregor stated during a recent press conference to promote Road House. “I’m eager for that. We’re in the first quarter of 2024. There’s still a good chunk of the year left.
“I’ve got two fights left on my contract. Negotiations are ongoing. When the promotional work of the movie comes to an end, when the St. Patrick’s day festivities come to an end, it’s isolation and it’s focus, and move toward a return to the octagon.”
The two fights left comment may be telling. There has been speculation that the UFC is looking to re-sign McGregor to a long-term deal, which could potentially be his last in the sport. On the other hand, in recent times, Mcreor has expressed an interest in returning to the boxing world, where potential fights with Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, or any number of Youtubers could draw in big money thanks to the recent boxing boom.
The UFC, in years past, has attempted to wait out fighters like Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz in the hopes of re-signing them, only for both to make their exit from the promotion and land big paydays elsewhere.
In a separate interview with talkSPORT, “The Notorious” reiterated his desire for a date in June followed by an appearance at The Sphere in Las Vegas. What is truly sobering, however, is his suggestion that there has been “no talk” about what happens past the two fights left on his deal, or anything else.
“That would be great for me, June 29 and then the Sphere,” McGregor told talkSPORT. “And then what? What happens then? I don’t know. And I wonder do they know? There’s been no talk about anything. So I wonder what next…
“There was cold water put on [a bout with Nate Diaz at the Sphere] publicly off the bat, and I wasn’t happy with that. I need discussion or conversation, because if I lose interest, and I’m not getting anything back, I just drift off, my man. So I hope I can get something in and get dialed in.”
It was Dana White who poured that cold water on the McGregor/Diaz trilogy at the Sphere on Mexican Independence Day, saying he wanted Mexican stars on the card, and dismissing the idea again when it was pointed out that Diaz is of Mexican descent. Diaz is not currently under UFC contract, but has not ruled out a return to the company.
McGregor, meanwhile, is not the only one left in the dark as to what is going on with his fighting career. SBG Ireland head coach and McGregor confident John Kavanagh also appears confused.
“I won’t pretend to know the politics and what’s going on with legal stuff in the background,” Kavanagh said on The MMA Hour recently (h/t MMA Fighting). “All I know is it seems odd that we’re not getting [any news]. Like I said, I really am speaking from a position of ignorance because I actually try to purposefully avoid all of that. [McGregor’s manager] Audie [Attar] and the team, they do all that, they go back and forth with Hunter [Campbell] and the UFC team. But yeah, it’s weird to me for someone to be the star he is and not get more opportunities.”
The situation has become so over the top that even Nate Diaz, an old rival and potential future opponent of Conor McGregor, recently came out with a supportive “free Conor” statement.
“They want u to die before u get out [of] these contracts it’s up to u to make something pop. No one gonna help you but you,” wrote Diaz. “Free Conor. It’s St. Patty’s day in this b**ch.”
