Former featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor will not make his long-awaited return to the Octagon this year, UFC president Dana White said.
McGregor has not fought since losing to Dustin Poirier in 2021, a bout in which he also suffered a broken leg. The 36-year-old withdrew from his scheduled UFC 303 welterweight bout against Michael Chandler in June due to a broken toe.
“We didn’t meet up but we talked, and yeah, [McGregor] wants to fight. So we’ll figure it out. [But] not this year. He won’t fight this year,” White told reporters on Tuesday.
Irishman McGregor responded in a post on X saying he wanted to fight at the end of the year.
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“December is the date! Bring the calendar year home with a winning event!” McGregor wrote. “I am off to altitude next month to prepare. Tell Dana and UFC we want December! We deserve December!” - Reuters
