Some Conor McGregor next fight news should hopefully arrive in the next few months. While the former two-division champion’s hiatus extends into its third year, we look at three likely opponents for the Irish superstar’s eventual return.
UFC fans have not seen McGregor step inside the Octagon since July 2021. Sadly, in September the long-expected plans for him to face Michael Chandler were scrapped after the Bellator great gave up on waiting for the Irish star to finally set a return date.
If the Irishman is truly serious about returning to the Octagon, there are many potential options. However, the most likely opponents would be Jorge Masvidal, Justin Gaethje, or Max Holloway.
Conor McGregor versus Michael Chandler was a bout fight fans around the world had hoped to see for some time. The UFC liked the matchup so much that they made both of them coaches for a season of The Ultimate Fighter. However, after more than a year of cancellations and rumors, the fight is officially off — again.
Delays: Despite being on TUF and hyping the fight, it took a very long time to get McGregor to sign on the dotted line for an official fight date. Eventually, after months of stalling and promoting a new movie, the Irishman was locked in for a major pay-per-view clash in July 2024. But a surprising injury sunk those plans.
Pinkie Toe: Fans were excited to finally see Conor McGregor back in the Octagon. There were even plans for a massive press event in his native Ireland. However, the presser was surprisingly canceled and began speculation the fight might be off. Those rumors became a reality and the former featherweight king pulled out of the bout due to a broken pinkie toe.
It was a shocking development because there are many stories of UFC greats competing in the Octagon with far worse injuries.
The bottom line: McGregor canceling his bout with Chandler was a massive disappointment for his legion of fans. It also furthered the narrative that he may never step back inside the Octagon after losing three of his last four.
Conor McGregor has been out of action for nearly two and a half years. The last time the former two-division champion competed was in July of 2021 when he suffered a second straight loss to long-time rival Dustin Poirier. In the bout, he suffered fractures to his leg that required surgery soon after the loss.
A one-of-a-kind talent: McGregor has become an icon of fight sports through his uncanny ability to promote fights and his outstanding skills inside the cage. It has helped him cultivate a massive fanbase that shows up each time he competes. He may not be the best MMA fighter of all time but he is certainly the most famous.
McGregor was one of the stars of the Amazon Prime Video film “Roadhouse.” In the movie, the Irishman plays the antagonist Knox. The UFC star reported made $5.5 million for his part in the motion picture.
In being the most famous cage fighter in MMA history, “Notorious” has stacked up a lot of green during his career. However, he has also used his money and notoriety smartly to add to his worth. That showed when he made millions off selling the Irish whiskey brand he co-founded Proper 12.
Heading into 2025, Conor McGregor’s current net worth is estimated to be nearly $200 million.
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