‘He was blowing me up’: Dana White changes tune on Conor McGregor, 2024 fight possible
UFC CEO, Dana White has now claimed former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor was more than disappointed by claims he would not be fighting before the end of the year – now insisting a potential December return for the Dublin was possible.
McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight champion and featherweight titleholder, has been out of action for the last three years, most recently fracturing his left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
And slated to return in the main event of UFC 303 at the end of June during International Fight Week, McGregor was forced to withdraw from a welterweight comeback fight against Michael Chandler, fracturing a toe on his left foot – ruling him from the pairing.
Earlier this week, however, amid links to a UFC 310 rescheduled pairing with Chandler at the end of the year, White claimed that he had no plans for the Crumlin counter striker to feature before 2024 was over – to his disappointment.
“We talked, we talked,” Dana White said of Conor McGregor following the Contender Series. “We didn’t meet up but we talked, and yeah, he wants to fight. So, we’ll figure it out. Not this year. He won’t fight this year.”
Conor McGregor return possible claims Dana White
“Ah Dana, December is the date!” Conor McGregor posted on his official X account. “Bring the calendar year home with a winning event! Come on now, what’s this? I am off to altitude next month to prepare. DECEMBER! Tell Dana and UFC WE WANT DECEMBER! WE DESERVE DECEMBER!”
However, overnight, White has now claimed McGregor’s return before the close of the year may be a possibility after all,
“You can imagine after I said that, Conor was blowing me up, ‘I’m definitely fighting this year,’” White told Sportsnet during a recent interview. “When we get to a point where we are setting up a fight and I believe a Conor McGregor fight is gonna happen, I will announce it. As of right now, I do not believe Conor will fight this year. Conor’s saying he wants to fight in December, we’ll see how it plays out.”
