After an angry rant from McGregor suggested frayed relations with UFC, Dana White said he’d work things out while the two are in the Middle East.
There was no big announcement from UFC CEO, Dana White, last night night (Weds., Dec. 27, 2023), unless you consider more Power Slap news to be worthwhile combat sports information.
White and Co. had hyped up a big reveal … and who knows? Maybe there was going to be something real that was actually about UFC 300 (or UFC in general). If there was, it didn’t come together soon enough. Instead, he did an Instagram live video where he repeatedly pushed people to Rumble to watch the latest “Road To Power Slap” series promoting the sport’s end-of-season championship event.
He did do a bit of a Q&A, though, mentioning the future of Conor McGregor during the stream.
“We talked tonight,” White claimed. “I’m in Abu Dhabi, he’s in Dubai. We’re going to figure something out — we’re talking.”
McGregor had recently ripped into UFC over refusing to book his return fight in a prompt fashion.
“No one in the history of the fight game’s ever been treated the way I’m getting treated at this minute, yeah?” he said angrily during the Dec. 23, 2023, “Day of Reckoning” boxing event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “Through what I came through to what I bring, they f—ing should open floodgates for me, yeah? And I’m waiting. I’m waiting and I’m waiting. My patience is wearing thin on me waiting.”
McGregor went so far as to suggest if UFC didn’t line him up a fight pronto, he’d sort out a deal with the cash-laden Saudis to box fading boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao.
Conor McGregor just went OFF on Manny Pacquiao pic.twitter.com/oyaZe0XHuP
— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) December 24, 2023
That doesn’t sound like the words of someone who’s been told he is headlining UFC 300’s historic pay-per-view (PPV) event against opposing The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 31 coach, Michael Chandler. In fact, it kind of sounds like UFC hasn’t been telling McGregor much of anything, which is pretty insane. However, it lines up with the promotion’s communication toward other fighters just fine.
But, one would think it would handle its money-making superstar much better.
Fortunately, it now sounds like White is in touch with “The Notorious” and working things out. Perhaps we’ll get an update after New Years Eve when United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is truly and properly out of UFC’s drug testing business.
Hopefully, we’ll get some more UFC 300 news, too. White promised more fight announcements from that card soon, although he said the main event would remain secret … for now. Secret or TBD?
We’re starting to wonder if there’s even a main event to reveal.
For the latest TUF 31-related (and Conor McGregor) news and notes click here.