UFC fighters do not have high hopes for a Conor McGregor return to greatness. For over 2 years now, the Irishman has been teasing a comeback fight with nothing to show for it. As his return is now expected in early 2025 MMA journalist Jon-Bernard Kairouz took it upon himself to ask the UFC stars of the UFC 308 card this weekend what they thought of ‘The Notorious’ returning to the ring.
Not one of them has any hopes of greatness that has generally been associated with the Irishman for years. The common problems that UFC fans have been hearing about the Irishman are the drinking, the partying, and the sheer amount of money he is making.
And while the last one is nobody’s business, it’s difficult to wake up early in the morning and go on a jog when you sleep on silk sheets.
A few years ago McGregor was the highest-paid athlete in the world. And that is exactly why UFC fighters don’t think he will return to his prime.
UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria even called him a fake fighter due to the many times McGregor has teased a comeback, only to bail out.
“The same one, never. He’s a fake fighter, he fakes all the time to come back, where he is?”
Khamzat Chimaev, while respectful, in tune with his newfound calmness, claimed that while Prime McGregor was a man of great potential, his time has long passed by.
“Conor was in his prime one of the best guys in the world…But now it’s not his time, his time is gone.”
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The funniest response came from Robert Whittaker who stated that if he had as much money as McGregor does, we would never see him again, which to be fair is sort of why anyone does anything.
McGregor being on his way to becoming a billionaire before 40 doesn’t make him a bum or mean that greatness has left him, it just means he’s already won at a game everyone is pretending to know how to play.
Despite this, the Irishman remains adamant that he will return to the octagon and break the records he hold dearest of his heart.
McGregor keen on breaking UFC record
Boxing had Floyd Mayweather, and MMA has ‘The Notorious’. Everything the Irishman touches has turned into gold, except old people. Those turned into lawsuits.
But jokes aside, despite being away from the octagon for 3 years, a comeback fight would pretty much all PPV records in the UFC. McGregor is the biggest star the promotion has ever produced. Call it incompetence on their part or the sheer appeal of the fighting Irish, when McGregor fights, everyone and their moms and their meemaws want to watch.
So, there is one in particular PPV record, McGregor insists on breaking when he returns to the octagon.
“7 out of 10 highest ppv’s, NO! I have 8 of the highest! I outsold UFC 100! I have the documentation to prove it. By end of my contract I will hold the entire top 10.”
And of nothing else motivates the Irishman, the promise of being this elusive fighter who has millions in the palm of his hands seems like a chance McGregor would jump at.
