Conor McGregor is preparing for his long-awaited return to the Octagon. The former dual-weight UFC champion has not fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Fans have speculated endlessly about his next opponent, while McGregor remained mostly quiet—until now.
McGregor and Michael Chandler rumors
Since his injury, Conor McGregor has been linked to a fight with Michael Chandler. The two lightweights filmed a season of The Ultimate Fighter together, building anticipation for their clash. They had planned to meet at UFC 303 in June 2024, but McGregor pulled out after breaking his toe in training. UFC President Dana White later ruled out rescheduling the fight when McGregor targeted the UFC White House card on June 14.
McGregor teases comeback details
Recently, McGregor gave fans a hint about his return. He confirmed that both the fight date and opponent are already set, though he did not reveal the name. “I have been offered an opponent and a date, and I accept,” he tweeted Wednesday morning. “Waiting on my contract.” True to form, he deleted the post from his X account shortly afterward. The MMA world now waits for Dana White to officially announce one of the most anticipated comebacks of 2026.
Contract negotiations remain key
Securing a fight contract with Conor McGregor has proven complex. In January, the 37-year-old said his UFC deal was “void” after the promotion signed a $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount. “I’m going into negotiations with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in February. I’m very interested to go. They’ve actually got a new deal with Paramount, it’s worth $7.7 billion. The company has 4xed its profit,” he explained. McGregor added that his old contract depended on PPV sales, which no longer exist. “I’m the highest-generating PPV fighter of all time. The PPV system is done, I’m due a new contract. So, we’re going into negotiations in February, and I’m very interested to see how it goes.”
Negotiations appear to have progressed smoothly, as McGregor now has a fight date and opponent. All that remains is signing the contract and officially returning to the Octagon.
