Despite revealing plans to compete as soon as August amid his exit from next weekend’s UFC 303 card during International Fight Week, Conor McGregor’s plans to come back this year may have already been quashed by Dana White, who confirmed the promotion’s schedule for the annum is already in effect.
McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight gold holder, was forced to withdraw from next weekend’s scheduled welterweight fight with Michael Chandler, revealing he suffered a fractured toe just three weeks before the bout in Las Vegas.
And appearing at Bellator Champions Series 3 tonight in his native Dublin, former duel-weight champion, McGregor revealed he was already working toward a “new date” for his comeback.
“You know, I’m still here rocking away,” Conor McGregor said. “I had a little lapse of concentration and I had to reschedule the bout, so I’m a little upset about that. But it’s keeping me dialed in, it’s keeping me focused. I can’t rock around like I’m out there showing up, like I’m out there doing my job. The job is not done, so that’s not bad for someone like me.”
"I'm walking in there 100% Conor McGregor"
Conor McGregor joins Dan Hardy in the Cage to speak on Sinead Kavanagh and his fight with Michael Chandler in the future!#BellatorDublin | LIVE NOW on MAX
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— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) June 22, 2024
“I’m onwards towards the new date, and take my lessons learned, it was a lapse in concentration,” Conor McGregor continued. If I was any of these other little bums that can’t move, that have no footwork they don’t rely on their skills… then I would be ok. And I’ve done it before, I’ve made the walk on a multitude of times under those circumstances and given these byums an advantage over me that they don’t even deserve.”
Dana White unsure if Conor McGregor can fight this year
However, speaking with assembled media following UFC Saudi Arabia tonight, the aforenoted, White claimed that the schedule for the remainder of 2024 was already planned, calling into question whether McGregor could compete as soon as he desired.
“I don’t know right now,” Dana White said. “Yeah, our [the UFC’s] schedule is laid out so, we’ll see. I’m not doing anything until I know that Conor (McGregor) is healthy. It’s not even worth talking about until – you know, ‘What about September, what about October?’ He’s not ready so why even talk about that?”
Do you think Conor McGregor can compete this year in the UFC?