SUMMARY
- UFC President Dana White has shared some surprising information regarding Conor McGregor's reported return fight.
- Speaking in the post-fight press conference, Dana White was questioned about McGregor.
UFC 297 is in the books, and fans are already looking ahead. With the year already off to a great start, there is a lot of expectation for what’s to come in future events. At the same time, UFC President Dana White has just shared some surprising information regarding Conor McGregor’s reported return fight.
For those unaware, UFC 297 just went down at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. With Dricus du Plessis narrowly winning out against Sean Strickland, there have been a lot of talking points. However, there were also many questions about what was to come from some of the UFC’s biggest stars, including Conor McGregor.
Speaking in the post-fight press conference, the UFC head honcho was questioned on the matter. “Uh no,” replied Dana to the question about Conor’s reported return in June 2024. “When Conor is ready to fight, you know we’ll announce it. That’s what we do.” Responding to whether June was a possibility for the Irishman, Dana simply said, “I don’t know”.
All things considered, it is a rather bizarre situation, with a fighter announcing his fight, only for Dana to completely reject it. Unlike some other fights, this was one that White was very clear about not being confirmed. Due to the nature of White’s rejection of the fight, many have been questioning everything said by McGregor earlier in the month.
Dana White pours cold water over Conor McGregor’s UFC return
For the most part, Dana White and the UFC are very particular about the way they handle their business. As such, despite a fighter’s star power, they have made it a point not to give in to their demands. However, this was made apparent after Islam Makhachev revealed his plans to fight Justin Gaethje in June, only for the UFC to announce that ‘The Highlight’ would be defending his BMF title against Max Holloway at UFC 300.
Thus, it is likely that a similar situation is happening with Conor McGregor as well. Previously, ‘The Notorious One’ teased a fight announcement on New Year’s Eve. After much anticipation and suspense, the former double-champ posted a ludicrous, half-baked announcement. As per Conor, he would be making the ‘greatest return in sports history’ against Michael Chandler on June 29, 2024.
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Naturally, the ‘185 lbs’ fight announcement was not well received by many, but it was still something to go by. Judging by Conor’s behavior in the months prior, it was doubtful as to whether he would ever fight again. Now, with Dana White’s latest statement, Conor’s announcement is firmly down the drain. Thus, the UFC is likely having second thoughts regarding the fight, or it never materialized in the first place.
Moreover, there will be questions as to what this means for Michael Chandler, who has held his breath for an official announcement for so long. All things considered, this new twist in the saga makes things even more interesting. Could McGregor vs. Chandler be on UFC 300? Will Chandler even be the opponent for the Irishman? The coming weeks will likely hold the answers to all these questions and more.