Conor McGregor bypasses Dana White with desperate plea to finalise UFC return date after being put on ice until 2025
CONOR MCGREGOR has seemingly bypassed Dana White in a desperate attempt to finalise his long-awaited return to the UFC.
The Notorious’ long-overdue comeback clash with Michael Chandler collapsed last week when his fellow fan favourite agreed to rematch Charles Oliveira in November.
UFC President and CEO White then revealed that the promotion plan to have their poster boy return to the cage NEXT YEAR.
Both announcements blindsided McGregor, who has reached out to Saudi bigwig Turki Alalshikh – who recently struck up a lucrative partnership with MMA‘s top promotion – to try to seal a new date for his comeback.
The former two-division champion said: “I’ve been tested more than twice than these other athletes, yet I struggle to get a date.
“So I’ve talked to Sheikh Turki and I’ve said, ‘Sheikh Turki, can you assist me here?”
McGregor, 36, was due to return to the cage in the summer but was forced out of his June joust with Chandler after breaking his left pinky toe in sparring.
The Irishman revealed to SunSport that he was pivoting to a December return, although White and the rest of the UFC brass have different ideas for him.
White told the New York Post: “I was the one this year saying I don’t think he’s going to fight this year, amid all the talk and everything else.
“Conor McGregor will fight next year, early 2025.”
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Inside McGregor's Notorious lifestyle
With more sides to his personality than an Octagon, Conor McGregor's rise has been an enthralling watch.
Going from UFC icon to entrepreneur and Hollywood star, the Irishman has transcended the sport he helped bring to the masses.
He has four children with fiancee Dee Devlin and the family enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
McGregor has not fought in UFC since breaking his leg in a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021.
That has not stopped him amassing a net worth of over £150m thanks to his Proper No Twelve whiskey and fashion line.
And he is due to return to the Octagon at UFC 303 in an eagerly-awaited headline clash with Michael Chandler.
McGregor also starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the Amazon Prime remake of classic movie Road House, although he is dreading his mum seeing one X-rated scene.
Notorious turned up to the premiere in a £60,000 suit that was outdone by his £460k watch.
The only thing sharper than his fashion sense is his tongue and the Dubliner has several bitter spats under his belt, including with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
That row led to one of his biggest controversies in 2018 as he travelled 3,000 miles to confront Khabib in a vicious attack on his bus.
He pleaded guilty to assault after punching a man in a pub in 2018 and had his £150k Bentley seized by police for driving offences four years later.
Joe Rogan lashed out at McGregor in a four-letter outburst and the Irishman has also fired shots at Jake Paul, KSI and Tommy Fury.
Boxing great Floyd Mayweather also has McGregor on his enemy list after the pair clashed in a cross-sport bout in 2017.
Read all of our latest Conor McGregor stories.
When asked last Friday if he’s “confident” about McGregor fighting next year, he said: “Yes. I wasn’t 100 per cent in 2024, but I am in 2025.”
“I just am,” the 55-year-old said when pressed further on the Dubliner’s future. “I know more than you guys know.
“I’m 100 per cent confident McGregor will fight next year.”
Despite all the recent setbacks his cage comeback has suffered, McGregor – who hasn’t fought since breaking his left leg over three years – is still hopeful of gracing the octagon again.
He said: “As far as Chandler rematching Oliveira, I’m happy with the date.
“It’s November. Maybe we can still do it after, if they’re not going to line me up until December, maybe January or February, one of these dates.
“Maybe we can still do it. I’m just a bit out of the loop with it. All I can do is carry on doing what I’m doing.
“I test under the testing administration, I train daily, and that’s it.
“Let’s see what happens. Hopefully, it all comes to fruition.”