Conor McGregor has been teasing a return to combat sports for what feels like an eternity, and the closest he came was his fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303. But that turned out to be as much as a dud as his proposed boxing match with Logan Paul in India or the pointless face-off against Jeremy Stephens for BKFC.
McGregor has been out of commission since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in a rubber match in 2021. In the years since, the ‘Mystic Mac’ has also managed to hoodwink UFC lightweight Michael Chandler in wasting at least a couple of years in hopes of a ‘red panty night’.
However, now that even Chandler has seemingly moved on to try out his luck fighting prospects at the bottom of the UFC rankings, it has become a lot more evident that the once-charismatic Irishman’s fighting career is long behind him.
And joining the ever louder chorus is former UFC fighter Dustin Paque, who, in a conversation with Inside Fighting, essentially said it’s difficult to put on running shoes in the morning when you sleep on silk sheets at night.
“With the fame and the money, I just don’t think he has that hunger to be successful, you know.”, Paque said. “You need something to drive you, and I don’t think he has that.”, the observant veteran added.
McGregor has built an empire outside of fighting – from his multi-million-dollar Proper Twelve Irish whiskey brand to various business ventures, to becoming a partner with the BKFC, he’s in a position where he doesn’t need to fight anymore.
There is no way a fight camp and a trip of the octagon with the risk of losing another limb is worth McGregor’s time. Strictly speaking, the financial remuneration will never be enough, a stark contrast from his early days as an exciting southpaw.
That’s not to say he won’t fight again.
If the right boxing match is on the horizon, the Irishman might show an inclination towards a comeback. However, at this point, it might be more gimmicky than his first stint in pugilism against Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
The only real hope anyone has for a McGregor comeback is if UFC bossman Dana White enforces his contract with the promotion.
McGregor can’t stop messing with Chandler
‘The Notorious’ officially has two fights remaining on his UFC contract. This could probably be why Chandler might have a sliver of hope remaining for that big payday.
It also doesn’t help that every time the American looks like he’s trying to move on, McGregor pulls him back in with a cryptic message.
Despite being busy telling anyone who would listen that he wants to run for the Irish presidency and change immigration laws, McGregor has found time to once again throw Chandler a bone.
“Michael up next 12th of March, St Skibbins day a special day”
Michael up next 12th of March, St Skibbins day a special day ☘️
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 28, 2025
Does this mean he is fighting the American on March 12? A fight on such short notice seems next to impossible. Besides, it’s a Fight Night at the Apex. McGregor is the biggest money maker the sport has ever seen. The UFC brass is simply not going to waste one of his dates on an in-house event.
So this could just be one of those random tweets that McGregor deletes after a few hours and never addresses again.
