Conor McGregor suggests communication breakdown with UFC about return fight: ‘No talk about anything’
If you’re a Conor McGregor fan anxiously awaiting the return of the UFC’s biggest star to the octagon, here’s some good news: He’s at least somewhat optimistic about fighting before 2024 comes to a close.
The bad news? An announcement doesn’t appear to be imminent based on his latest public comments.
In an interview with talkSPORT released Monday, McGregor alluded to having to get through a current period of promoting the upcoming release of the “Road House” remake – in which he co-stars with Jake Gyllenhaal – before he can turn his attention completely to a return to fighting.
“After that, it’s a closed door,” McGregor said. “So I get to go in and close the door and map my plan. And then gym-home, gym-home, gym-home. And I hope we get some clarity with a date, and I can push towards it. I’m sure we will get something in by year’s end. That’s what I’m hoping.”
Back on New Year’s Day, McGregor announced on social media that he would return June 29 at UFC 303 to fight Michael Chandler, a long-anticipated showdown after the two men coaches against each other last year on “The Ultimate Fighter 31.” But the UFC never officially co-signed on the date, with promotion CEO Dana White only speaking ambiguously about potential negotiations.
Since then McGregor has openly talked about wanting a fourth fight with Dustin Poirier and a trilogy with Nate Diaz, in addition to meeting Chandler as planned. McGregor was even so specific as to say his ideal scenario is to fight Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas and then return to “Sin City” in September to fight Diaz at the promotion’s highly anticipated Noche UFC event from the Sphere.
McGregor, who has two fights left on his UFC contract, reiterated his desire for that timeline in the talkSPORT interview, but his words cast doubt that he’s been in any serious discussions with the UFC.
“That would be great for me – June 29th and then the Sphere,” McGregor said. “And then what? What happens then? I don’t know. And I wonder do they know? There’s been no talk about anything. So I wonder what next. …
“There was cold water put on (fighting Diaz at the Sphere) publicly off the bat, and I wasn’t happy with that. I need discussion or conversation, because if I lose interest – and I’m not getting anything back – I just drift off, my man. So I hope I can get something in and get dialed in.”
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Jan 26, 2020; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Conor McGregor arrives on the red carpet during the…
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Audie Attar, left, and Conor McGregor arrive at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards at the Staples…
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Conor McGregor arrives at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Sunday, Jan.…
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 26: Conor McGregor arrives at the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at…
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 26: Conor McGregor arrives at the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage) ORG XMIT: 775465472 ORIG FILE ID: 1202207879
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Conor McGregor, Dee Devlin (Photo by Getty)
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2021 MTV Video Music Awards
Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, VMAs, at Barclays Center…
Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, VMAs, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, USA, on 12 September 2021. Photo by: Hubert Boesl/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
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Dee Devlin, Conor McGregor attend the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on September 12, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Photo: Jeremy Smith/imageSPACE/Sipa USA(Sipa via AP Images)
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Conor McGregor arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on Sunday, Sept. 12,…
Conor McGregor arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
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2021 MTV Video Music Awards - Arrivals
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Dee Devlin, Conor McGregor attend the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on September 12, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Photo: Jeremy Smith/imageSPACE/Sipa USA(Sipa via AP Images)
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2021 MTV Video Music Awards - Arrivals
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: (L-R) Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the 2021…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: (L-R) Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on September 12, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for MTV/ ViacomCBS)
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Chopard Gentleman's Evening - Photocall - The 75th Annual Cannes Film Festival
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 18: Conor McGregor and Dee Devlin attend the Chopard "Gentleman's Evening" during…
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 18: Conor McGregor and Dee Devlin attend the Chopard "Gentleman's Evening" during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Rooftop Hotel Martinez on May 18, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Chopard)
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Chopard Gentleman's Evening - Photocall - The 75th Annual Cannes Film Festival
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 18: Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attends the Chopard "Gentleman's Evening" during…
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 18: Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attends the Chopard "Gentleman's Evening" during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Rooftop Hotel Martinez on May 18, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Chopard)
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Chopard Host The Dinner 'Chopard Loves Cinema'
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 21: Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the 'Chopard Loves Cinema' gala…
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 21: Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the 'Chopard Loves Cinema' gala dinner during the 75th Cannes Film Festival at Hotel Martinez on May 21, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images For Chopard)
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Chopard Host The Dinner 'Chopard Loves Cinema'
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 21: Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the 'Chopard Loves Cinema' gala…
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 21: Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the 'Chopard Loves Cinema' gala dinner during the 75th Cannes Film Festival at Hotel Martinez on May 21, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images For Chopard)
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Chopard Host The Dinner 'Chopard Loves Cinema'
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 21: Conor McGregor attends the 'Chopard Loves Cinema' gala dinner during the…
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 21: Conor McGregor attends the 'Chopard Loves Cinema' gala dinner during the 75th Cannes Film Festival at Hotel Martinez on May 21, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images For Chopard)
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MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Conor McGregor (L)arrives with his partner Dee Devlin for the screening…
MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Conor McGregor (L)arrives with his partner Dee Devlin for the screening of the film "Elvis" during the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2022. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP) (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images)
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MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Conor McGregor arrives for the screening of the film "Elvis" during…
MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Conor McGregor arrives for the screening of the film "Elvis" during the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2022. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
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MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Conor McGregor arrives for the screening of the film "Elvis" during…
MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter Conor McGregor arrives for the screening of the film "Elvis" during the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2022. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
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France Cannes 2022 Elvis Red Carpet
Conor McGregor poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Elvis' at the…
Conor McGregor poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Elvis' at the 75th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
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"Elvis" Red Carpet - The 75th Annual Cannes Film Festival
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 25: Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the screening of "Elvis" during…
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 25: Dee Devlin and Conor McGregor attend the screening of "Elvis" during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 25, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)
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"Elvis" After Party - The 75th Annual Cannes Film Festival
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 25: Conor McGregor and Dee Devlin attend the "Elvis" after party at…
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 25: Conor McGregor and Dee Devlin attend the "Elvis" after party at Stephanie Beach during the 75th annual Cannes film festival on May 25, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images)
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"Elvis" After Party - The 75th Annual Cannes Film Festival
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 25: Conor McGregor attends the "Elvis" after party at Stephanie Beach during…
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 25: Conor McGregor attends the "Elvis" after party at Stephanie Beach during the 75th annual Cannes film festival on May 25, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images)
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"Road House" World Premiere At SXSW
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 08: Conor McGregor attends the "Road House" World Premiere during SXSW at…
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 08: Conor McGregor attends the "Road House" World Premiere during SXSW at The Paramount Theater on March 08, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios)
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"Road House" World Premiere At SXSW
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 08: Conor McGregor attends the "Road House" World Premiere during SXSW at…
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 08: Conor McGregor attends the "Road House" World Premiere during SXSW at The Paramount Theater on March 08, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios)
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"Road House" World Premiere At SXSW
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 08: Conor McGregor attends the "Road House" World Premiere during SXSW at…
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 08: Conor McGregor attends the "Road House" World Premiere during SXSW at The Paramount Theater on March 08, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios)
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UK Special Screening for Prime Video's "Road House"
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Conor McGregor and Margaret McGregor attend a special screening of Prime…
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Conor McGregor and Margaret McGregor attend a special screening of Prime Video's "Road House" at The Curzon Mayfair on March 14, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Prime Video UK)
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UK Special Screening for Prime Video's "Road House"
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: (L to R) Tony McGregor, Margaret McGregor, Jake Gyllenhaal, guest, Conor…
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: (L to R) Tony McGregor, Margaret McGregor, Jake Gyllenhaal, guest, Conor McGregor, Dee Devlin, children Conor McGregor Jr, Rian McGregor, Croia McGregor and guest attend a special screening of Prime Video's "Road House" at The Curzon Mayfair on March 14, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Prime Video UK)
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UK Special Screening for Prime Video's "Road House"
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Conor McGregor attends a special screening of Prime Video's "Road House"…
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Conor McGregor attends a special screening of Prime Video's "Road House" at The Curzon Mayfair on March 14, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Prime Video UK)
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UK Special Screening for Prime Video's "Road House"
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor attend a special screening of Prime…
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor attend a special screening of Prime Video's "Road House" at The Curzon Mayfair on March 14, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Prime Video UK)
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UK Special Screening for Prime Video's "Road House"
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor attend a special screening of Prime…
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 14: Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor attend a special screening of Prime Video's "Road House" at The Curzon Mayfair on March 14, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Prime Video UK)
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