Conor McGregor has not fought since losing to Dustin Poirier in 2021, but the Irishman is eager to return to the cage in the near future
Conor McGregor has shared his negative drugs tests result and issued a yet another plea to the UFC as he eyes a return to the cage.
The former two-division champion hasn’t fought since suffering a brutal injury, breaking his leg in the trilogy showdown with bitter rival Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. The Irishman was set to fight Michael Chandler in June at UFC 303, but was forced to pull out of the contest due to an injury, with his return to the cage now being put back until the new year.
Chandler will instead take on Charles Oliveira in a mouthwatering lightweight rematch at UFC 309 in New York in November. Taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – earlier today, McGregor, who turned 36 back in July, showed of his latest drug test results to his fans. “Most tested athlete on the @ufc roster x2. I deserve my fight date! #CleanAthlete,” the post read. McGregor has expressed his frustration at not being booked to fight having pulled out of his original date with Chandler, but is looking to return next year.
Do you think Conor McGregor will fight in the UFC again? Let us know in the comments section.
“It will be 2025,” he told DAZN when asked when he will be fighting next. “We will see. My opponent that I had scheduled… it is what it is. I take it on board and rock on. My job is to go to the gym and be in shape. Whenever it is and wherever it is. I will be 100 per cent ready. I must get two fights in 2025. It’s the promised land. Who knows (who the next opponent will be). It does not matter. Whoever, let’s see. I like it to be Chandler. I wish him well and see where it goes.”
McGregor, who was ringside at Wembley to watch Anthony Joshua take on Daniel Dubois, also admitted he may not commit his future to the UFC after the final two fights of his contract. “I don’t know. I don’t think anyone knows. What happens afterwards, as I’m a free agent, I’m not sure,” he added.
UFC chief Dana White always anticipated that the MMA icon would return next year. When asked if McGregor will fight again, he replied: “Yes. I wasn’t 100 per cent in 2024, but I am in 2025. I just am. I know more than you guys know. I’m 100 per cent confident McGregor will fight next year.”
With the Irishman’s UFC career up in limbo, BKFC President David Feldman is confident McGregor will fight in the organisation. McGregor is a part owner of the promotion and has previously expressed his interest in competing in BKFC. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Damon Martin, Feldman said: “Unless he’s the best salesman in the world, the talks that we’ve had it’s like ‘I’m fighting here. I’m like yeah, OK. He [said] ‘I’m fighting here.’ “I go, ‘Why wouldn’t you fight here?’
“Because you have equity in the company and if you fight here, you’ll probably make more money than anywhere else in the world because of what it’s going to do for the company. So I truly believe what you said — I think 100 percent he fights here.”