UFC Star Conor McGregor Confirms Return Plans for First UFC Fight Since 2021

Although it’s far from the first time that he’s teased a comeback, Conor McGregor has confirmed the recent report that he’s finally returning to the UFC this summer.

With a fairly low-profile UFC Seattle card on tap for this weekend, yesterday’s report from Ariel Helwani that “The Notorious” will return to the UFC during International Fight Week has been one of the dominant combat sports headlines of the last few days.

Longtime MMA fans know better than to get too excited about the idea of a return fight for the biggest star in UFC history, but for the moment this looks to be the most promising update on a McGregor comeback since he was booked to headline UFC 303 against Michael Chandler but withdrew from the matchup with a broken toe.

Conor McGregor Confirms Report Of UFC Return Fight

Following Helwani’s report that McGregor would be fighting on July 11 barring “something disastrous”, the Irishman took to Instagram to confirm the news and celebrate his own possible return to the cage.

It’s now been well over four years since fans last saw McGregor step into the Octagon at UFC 264, where a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier came to an early end when “The Notorious” suffered a broken ankle that ended the fight following the conclusion of the first round.

Conor McGregor is carried off a stretcher following an injury suffered against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The loss at UFC 264 put McGregor on a two-fight skid after he was also stopped by Poirier in their rematch early that year. The Irishman’s lone win since knocking out Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight belt at UFC 205 in 2016 is a 40-second finish of a late-career version of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in 2020.

Who Will "The Notorious" Face In First UFC Fight Since 2021?

The big question any time the subject of a McGregor comeback arises is always who the former two-division UFC champion could face, and at this stage the UFC seems aware that fans would question if he was thrown straight back into a title bout after back-to-back losses and a massive layoff.

Conor McGregor before fighting Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The UFC 303 matchup with his opposing The Ultimate Fighter coach Chandler looked to be a reasonable return fight for “The Notorious” to potentially vault back into the lightweight rankings, but Chandler is now scheduled to face Mauricio Ruffy as part of “Freedom Fights 250” at The White House. Even after more than four years away, McGregor likely won’t be returning to fight someone that’s an unestablished name in the UFC, especially given that he’ll presumably headline whatever card he’s scheduled to fight on.

Conor McGregor (left) punches Nate Diaz during UFC 196 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A trilogy bout with Nate Diaz has long been on the wish list of many MMA fans, but Diaz is reportedly already set for a lucrative payday on May 16 when he takes on fellow UFC veteran Mike Perry as part Netflix’s MVP MMA 1, which is headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano.