Conor McGregor is ready to fight again. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Conor McGregor teases July return to UFC

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 5/12/20

Conor McGregor is back.

After the outspoken former two-division UFC champion teased a future fight with boxing icon Oscar De La Hoya and unleashed Twitter rants toward interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier, the 31-year-old hinted he's ready to return to mixed martial arts for the first time since January with a four-word statement:

See you in July ☘️
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 12, 2020

Last week, Audie Attar, McGregor's manager, told ESPN's Ariel Helwani that the former champ would consider fighting in July if he believes events such as last Saturday's UFC 249 card at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., were safe for fighters and others involved with the event's production amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza was pulled from the show after he and two of his cornermen tested positive for coronavirus, the event went on as scheduled.

Multiple ESPN experts have suggested UFC boss Dana White could first schedule a title unification fight between Nurmagomedov and Gaethje and then have McGregor battle the winner in what would become a highly anticipated championship match.

If McGregor is desperate for a July fight, though, he could face Poirier in a semi-main event or co-main:

You have 1 win at Lightweight in the UFC... Pipe down
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) May 11, 2020

Meanwhile, Gaethje's manager conveyed McGregor may have closed his title window for the immediate future.

Justin Gaethje's manager Ali Abdelaziz on Conor McGregor calling to fight Justin: "He had his chance for that, and he picked Cowboy [in January]. He picked the easier fight. The two kings of the division are going to fight in Khabib and Justin. Conor can be the co-main event."
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 11, 2020

The UFC hasn't been back a full week, but drama surrounding the promotion is already in peak form.

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