UFC president Dana White has expressed strong confidence that Conor McGregor will make his long-awaited return to the octagon this summer. McGregor has not fought since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier.
White told Jim Rome: 'We're in a great place with Conor. I'm extremely confident that he will fight this year. He's training, there's footage out there of him in training right now. He'll fight this summer.' The UFC chief added that 'great things behind the scenes' have bolstered his optimism.
The Independent understands that McGregor has been in talks for a July return, potentially headlining UFC 329 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 11 July. An opponent has not been confirmed, but he is expected to face an active fighter with a strong profile.
McGregor, who turns 38 in July, was initially seeking a spot on the UFC's White House fight card on 14 June but missed out. During his prime, he became the first dual-weight champion in UFC history with knockout wins over Jose Aldo and Eddie Alvarez. However, since crossing to boxing to fight Floyd Mayweather in 2017, he has gone 1-3 in the UFC.
Outside the cage, McGregor has faced legal issues. In 2024, a civil jury found he had sexually assaulted a woman in Dublin in 2018, allegations he has consistently denied.
