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UFC legend reshares theory about Conor McGregor’s failed 2024 UFC comeback that angered the Irishman

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated Aug 3, 2025 12:34 PM ET

Chael Sonnen continues to cast doubt over the explanation for Conor McGregor’s canceled UFC return in June 2024.

McGregor has not competed inside the Octagon since his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. After breaking his leg at the end of round one, resulting in a second straight loss to ‘The Diamond’, the former two-division champion was sidelined while he healed.

But four years, a successful recovery, and a failed matchup have passed, and ‘The Notorious’ still has not made his way back to action.

McGregor was booked to return against Michael Chandler last year after their stint coaching opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter, but the UFC 303 main event collapsed on late notice. The reason for McGregor’s withdrawal was a broken toe, pictures of which he released online.

That, however, was not enough to dissuade one UFC legend from pursuing a different theory.

Conor McGregor shared photos of the toe injury that led to his canceled bout at #UFC303. pic.twitter.com/JxJ7ekUX5j
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 21, 2024

Chael Sonnen still does not believe Conor McGregor was really injured in 2024

Sonnen holds a different belief about McGregor’s failed UFC comeback in 2024. Though he had no evidence, that did not stop ‘The Bad Guy’ from frequently sharing his claim on public platforms.

More than a year after that discussion, Sonnen has not been convinced otherwise.

McGregor’s return to the UFC drug-testing pool has sparked fresh comeback talk this year, and while reacting to that during his Good Guy/Bad Guy show with Daniel Cormier, Sonnen resurfaced his theory on the Irishman’s previous failed return.

“When he went to Dublin (for the UFC 303 press conference), there’s been a number of rumors as to why he pulled out,” Sonnen said.

“The leading one that I believe is that he had entered rehab. If you don’t believe that, then you believe the press release they put out, which is he pulled out for a discolored pinky toe that may or may not be broken.

“For a guy that was so tough he’s got a snapped leg in two and he calls Joe Rogan over (for an interview at UFC 264)…I have a hard time imagining he’d miss a press conference for a discolored pinky toe,” Sonnen added.

Conor McGregor hit back at Chael Sonnen’s claim

McGregor has yet to comment on Sonnen making the claim again, but both he and his publicist firmly shut it down when the former UFC star first shared it in 2024.

After his team released a formal denial, McGregor took to social media to reiterate that in a style fans are used to seeing from the Irishman online.

“Chael, shut your pie hole, h–,” McGregor wrote on X. “You tap from ground and pound.”

The fallout from the failed Chandler bout has left many skeptical about McGregor’s claim to still boast comeback hopes, which most recently resurfaced amid talk of a UFC event on the White House lawn on July 4, 2026.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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