Dana White confirms Conor McGregor was never considered for UFC 300, casts doubt on his 2024 return
Conor McGregor was never considered for UFC 300.
Following Ilia Topuria’s shocking second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight world title in Anaheim, UFC CEO Dana White officially revealed that the UFC 300 main event on April 13 will be a light heavyweight title fight between reigning champion Alex Pereira and returning ex-titleholder Jamahal Hill.
While discussing the struggles of putting the landmark card together at the UFC 298 post-fight presser, White revealed that Conor McGregor was never in the running the headline the event despite a slew of rumors suggesting otherwise. That prompted one reporter to question why exactly it was taking so long for the UFC to book the Irishman’s return.
White was quick to place the blame squarely on McGregor’s shoulders.
“We’ll be thrilled when he comes and fights, but money complicates a lot of things,” White said. “He just filmed a movie, he has to do press for the movie… He does want to fight this year, but we’ll see what happens”
White’s comments seemingly contradict those of McGregor who voiced his frustration over the delay in an interview with talkSPORT in December.
“The lads in the UFC aren’t talking any, the lads here (Saudis) are talking many, the lads in the UFC aren’t talking any …Give me something, it was supposed to be April, it was supposed to be December…no one in the history of the fight game has been treated like I’ve been getting treated. I’m waiting… My patience is running thin,” McGregor said.
So who exactly is to blame?
Unfortunately, we’ll probably never know the truth, but it does sound like McGregor’s previously guaranteed return in 2024 is no longer valid.
