It is still unclear whether Conor McGregor will be able to return to the octagon for the UFC fights, and his next opponent will have to decide when he is ready to fight again. Dana White, the UFC CEO, discussed the situation during the Uranswer session with the fans in Ireland and updated them about the McGregor fight and who might be his opponent.
Conor McGregor’s Opponent Still Unclear
Discussion about Conor McGregor’s opponent appeared as Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira are scheduled to fight in UFC 309 in November. Chandler was supposed to fight against Conor McGregor, but he was expected to face Conor and welcome him back into the UFC. Even the fighters had to confirm that they would coach against each other on the Ultimate Fighter show to give way to the upcoming fight.
However, further postponement and the cancellation of UFC 303 in June meant Chandler had no option but to schedule the repeat fight with Oliveira. Still, White dodged the question when asked if Chandler or Oliveira would still be considered for the fight against Conor McGregor. He said that
It’s going to [be] determined when Conor comes back, who the opponent is. Whenever Conor is ready and he comes back. He hit me up last night when he heard that I was here [in Dublin]. He’s in New York right now, and he is training.
He further said that he had been in touch with him while in New York, informing him that he was in training. That is why, at the moment, no opponent will be selected for confrontation until the date of the Irishman’s return is confirmed.
Setbacks in McGregor’s Return
Ever since Conor McGregor started his career, he has faced obstacles in his career at the UFC. The Irish superstar has not fought since his fight with Dustin Poirier in December early last year due to a severe leg injury. After the injury, Conor McGregor left the UFC’s anti-doping program and was out of action. This meant that he was forced to go for six months in the drug test phase before he would be eligible for a fight.
Previously, he was supposed to fight with Chandler in June at UFC 303. However, he had a twisted pinky toe during the training session, which delayed him from participating in the fight; this was another challenge to his comeback. Earlier this year there were rumors of his return before the end of the year, however, White has revealed that he will not be fighting until 2025.
Chandler Moves On to Oliveira
As for Conor McGregor’s participation in the fight, it was doubtful, so Chandler decided to take the following match with Oliveira in November instead of staying on the shelf. Chandler kept himself out of the action for several months, waiting for this chance to face him. Finally, Chandler had no more time to waste in his career, so the UFC scheduled his rematch with Oliveira instead.
This situation is curious since he needs to fully engage in return for the UFC to start working on his next fight. The once-successful two-division champion must nail down the date before his foe is announced after being out of the octagon for almost four years. That said, the UFC enthusiasts may need to wait and watch whether he is all set to make a comeback.
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