UFC Boss Dana White Drops Massive Update on UFC Return Fight for Conor McGregor

UFC CEO Dana White has provided the most concrete update on a potential Conor McGregor return that fans have seen this year.

The eyes of most MMA fans are currently centered on Newark, NJ this week, as the city’s Prudential Center is set to host a stacked UFC 328 card that boasts a pair of massive title fights at the top of the bill.

The fight week buildup for that event has also included the first official face offs for next month’s “UFC Freedom 250” show at The White House, and fans are patiently waiting for news regarding what the world’s leading MMA promotion has in store for a UFC 329 card that will cap off International Fight Week in July.

UFC CEO Dana White Shares Massive Update on Conor McGregor Plans

A return fight at UFC 329 for former two-division UFC titleholder McGregor has been heavily-rumored during the last month or so, and White recently dropped a massive update on “The Notorious” during an interview with Jim Rome.

“We’re in a great place with Conor,” White said. “I’m extremely confident that Conor will fight this year. I’m extremely confident that we’ll get him dialed in and ready to roll. He’s training - there’s footage out there of him training right now…He’ll fight this summer.”

Conor McGregor is greeted by UFC president Dana White during weigh ins for UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Ariel Helwani was quick to share White’s statement following his own recent updates on McGregor’s status, and Helwani followed that up by stating that a fight announcement for the Irishman should be coming in the very near future.

Will "The Notorious" Finally Return This Year?

Now closing in on his 38th birthday, McGregor hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since breaking his ankle during the first round of a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

Conor McGregor holds his leg after suffering an injury against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

That result left “The Notorious” on a two-fight skid after he also fell to Poirier in their second meeting earlier that year at UFC 257. His last win was a 40-second finish of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone during the lengthy losing run that closed out Cerrone’s fighting career, and that bout at UFC 246 came more than a year after McGregor was submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov in his last UFC title bout.

Khabib Nurmagomedov (red gloves) fights Conor McGregor (blue gloves) during UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Irishman was scheduled to return at UFC 303 in the summer of 2024 to face his opposing The Ultimate Fighter coach Michael Chandler before withdrawing from the matchup with a broken toe. As noted by White, McGregor has actively been teasing his return on social media, and recent reports indicate that the UFC would ideally like to have him rematch Max Holloway as the headlining bout for UFC 329.

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