Is Conor McGregor’s Comeback Real This Time? Here’s Why Fans Aren’t Buying It

Look, we’ve all heard this song before. Conor McGregor promising a comeback, teasing a return, getting everyone hyped up—only for it to fizzle out like a flat Guinness. But this time, the Irishman swears he’s coming back at the UFC White House card in June 2025. Should we believe him? Spoiler alert: most fans don’t.

McGregor’s Latest Comeback Promise

At a recent Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) event in New Jersey, McGregor sat down with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani and made his intentions crystal clear. When asked if he’d prefer making his return at the historic UFC White House event over a BKFC main event, the former two-division champion didn’t hesitate.

“I’m coming back with the White House. I’m having fun with all this, but I’m under no illusion… my comeback for mixed martial arts is paramount,” McGregor stated. “I’d love it to be Chandler… Something good is coming was what they said.”

The UFC White House card is scheduled for June 14, 2025—conveniently falling on President Donald Trump‘s 80th birthday. It’s a massive event that’s been rescheduled from its original July 4th date due to logistical nightmares. For McGregor, it represents the perfect stage for his return. Big crowd, huge spotlight, maximum attention. Classic Conor.

But here’s the thing: McGregor hasn’t fought since July 2021, when he suffered a brutal TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 after breaking his leg. That’s nearly four years of inactivity. Four years of missed drug tests, bar brawls, and legal troubles that would make anyone question whether the “Notorious” one is ever stepping back into the octagon.

The Troubling Footage That Has Everyone Talking

During that same BKFC event where Mike Perry and Jeremy Stephens threw down, footage of McGregor emerged that sent shockwaves through the MMA community. Fans got a good look at the 37-year-old, and let’s just say… it wasn’t pretty.

Social media erupted with brutal takes. One fan didn’t mince words: “McGregor looks awful, he’s never fighting again in UFC, much less on the White House card.” Another compared him to a cartoon character, adding that “the young, hungry Conor would hate this version of himself.”

The most damning comment? “Man it’s hard to even listen to him anymore. The old Conor is long gone.”

Ouch. That stings worse than a Nate Diaz slap.

Why Nobody’s Buying What McGregor’s Selling

Let’s be real here—McGregor’s credibility is shot. The man was supposed to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024, but pulled out with a broken toe. Before that, he spent years teasing a comeback while getting into controversies that have nothing to do with fighting.

In 2024 alone, McGregor was caught on camera punching a man in an Ibiza bar, spotted with a mystery woman who wasn’t his wife Dee on a Florida beach, and was found liable for assaulting Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel back in 2018. Hand was awarded €248,000 (roughly $270,000) in damages after a civil court case. McGregor lost his appeal.

Then there’s the little matter of his 18-month USADA suspension for missing multiple drug tests in 2024. While the ban has been backdated to September 2024—meaning he’d technically be eligible to fight by March 2026—it’s just another red flag in a parade of them.

Michael Chandler, McGregor’s long-suffering would-be opponent, summed it up perfectly when speaking to BetVictor: “I think Conor wants to, and needs to, come back to prove all the doubters wrong. To say I told you so.”

But does anyone actually believe that’s going to happen?

The Michael Chandler Saga: A Comedy of Errors

Poor Michael Chandler. The 39-year-old American has been waiting for this fight longer than some people wait for a mortgage approval. He coached opposite McGregor on The Ultimate Fighter, prepared for a June 2024 bout that never materialized, and has essentially put his career on hold for a payday that may never come.

Chandler has tried to remain optimistic, telling the media he holds “no ill will” toward McGregor for the various delays and cancellations. But you have to wonder—at what point does patience become foolishness?

“Nobody believes” in McGregor anymore, Chandler admitted. And can you blame anyone? The Irishman has become the boy who cried wolf, except instead of a wolf, it’s a UFC comeback that never shows up.

Chandler even suggested that if McGregor truly wants to recapture his old form, he should “buy an island and surround himself with training partners and close family members.” Translation: get away from the nightclubs, the parties, and the distractions that have derailed your career.

Is There Any Hope for a Real Comeback?

Here’s where things get interesting. Despite all the skepticism, McGregor’s suspension does expire before the UFC White House card. Dana White has confirmed that no fights have been officially booked for the event yet, leaving the door open for McGregor to slide in if he can get his act together.

But even if McGregor does show up, who should he fight? Chandler seems like the obvious choice given their history, but UFC legend Chael Sonnen has another idea. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sonnen suggested Tony Ferguson as a more suitable opponent.

“It’s not going to be a fight that affects the rankings at all,” Sonnen explained. “Conor is not ranked. Conor is not even licensed. So if we bring him back, we could put him with somebody that isn’t ranked, an older name, a name that you know. Tony Ferguson would not be off the table.”

It’s a smart suggestion. Ferguson is past his prime, McGregor hasn’t fought in years, and neither would shake up the lightweight division’s rankings. It’s basically a legacy fight with minimal consequences—perfect for someone who’s more interested in headlines than championships.

What This All Means for UFC Fans

Let’s cut through the noise: McGregor’s days as a legitimate UFC contender are over. The man hasn’t won a fight since January 2020, when he knocked out Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in 40 seconds. Since then, he’s 0-2 with both losses coming against Poirier.

But does that mean we’ll never see him fight again? Not necessarily. McGregor still has name value, still draws massive pay-per-view numbers, and could still deliver one more entertaining bout if he takes it seriously. The UFC White House card would be a fitting stage for a final hurrah—assuming he actually shows up.

The bigger question is whether McGregor himself knows what he wants. Does he want to be a fighter? A businessman? A celebrity? A BKFC promoter? Right now, it seems like he’s trying to be all of them at once, and excelling at none.

Final Thoughts: Believe It When You See It

Conor McGregor says he’s coming back. He says his “comeback for mixed martial arts is paramount.” He says he’s under “no illusion” about what needs to happen.

But after years of broken promises, missed opportunities, and increasingly troubling behavior outside the cage, can we really believe him? The footage from the BKFC event suggests he’s not in fighting shape. His recent controversies suggest he’s not mentally focused. And his track record suggests this is just another empty promise.

Michael Chandler might be willing to wait. Dana White might be willing to book the fight. But the fans? We’ve learned our lesson. We’ll believe McGregor’s comeback when we see him actually step into the octagon—and not a moment before.

Until then, this is just another chapter in the sad decline of a once-great fighter who can’t seem to get out of his own way.