Brendan Schaub shares theory explaining Conor McGregor’s delayed UFC return: ‘They’re trying to keep him under wraps’

Conor McGregor hints at UFC 300 return with possible announcement during Super BowlFormer UFC fighter Brendan Schaub has an interesting theory as to why Conor McGregor has still not been booked…

Conor McGregor hints at UFC 300 return with possible announcement during Super Bowl

Former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub has an interesting theory as to why Conor McGregor has still not been booked for his return.

McGregor has been rehabbing his broken leg but has been campaigning for a return for quite some time. The Irishman has said he will be returning in June against Michael Chandler, but so far, nothing has been made official. However, according to Schaub, he believes the UFC is holding McGregor out of action so he can’t reach free agency and secure boxing fights on his own.

Brendan Schaub

“There’s more to that story that we’re not getting,” Schaub said, via The Mirror. “But it’s going be International Fight Week, Conor didn’t pull that out of his a**. It’s going to be Michael Chandler…

I really think Conor just wants to do that one fight and then bounce, and make all the money fighting Manny Pacquiao, Jake Paul, and Nate Diaz in boxing or MMA in their own promotion in Dublin or wherever,” Schaub continued. “That’s what’s going on there, UFC is trying to, you know, do what they do, and keep him under wraps. So, we’ll see what happens. To Dana’s defence, he also was like, ‘The reason we didn’t announce the fight is like he’s doing all this promo for his movie.

Conor McGregor UFC 285 Weigh-Ins Roadhouse
Mandatory Credit: Alex Behunin

“And he’s like, ‘To do a movie tour promo, like, that takes all your attention. Now that that’s done, he’s going to go to a legit camp, and the fight will be announced.’ He’s like ‘We’re just waiting ’till this movie, you, do their thing, and then we’ll piggyback on that and you get a fight announcement.’ So I’d assume we get a fight announcement pretty soon,” Schaub added.

It is an interesting theory, as it has been reported that Conor McGregor is nearing the end of his UFC deal. But, whether or not that actually is the case is uncertain.

Dana White is uncertain when Conor McGregor will fight

Although Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler have both said their fight will be happening in June, Dana White has shot that idea down.

According to White, he says McGregor being as rich as he is makes it hard for the Irishman to want to compete.

connor mcgregor road house 65f9aff14b6b3 1

“First problem was that he broke that shin bone. He was recovering from that. That was one of the reasons,” White said after UFC 298. “The other problem is he’s f*cking rich.”

Ultimately, many fans are hopeful that Conor McGregor will be returning this summer against Michael Chandler.

Brendan Schaub claims Conor McGregor is the most underpaid fighter in UFC history: ‘He’s the most underpaid of all time’

Brendan Schaub claims Conor McGregor is the most underpaid UFC fighter of all timeBrendan Schaub says Conor McGregor is the most underpaid fighter of all time, and claims no one wants to…

Brendan Schaub claims Conor McGregor is the most underpaid UFC fighter of all time

Brendan Schaub says Conor McGregor is the most underpaid fighter of all time, and claims no one wants to hear it.

McGregor is the biggest superstar in the history of the UFC and is the highest-paid fighter of all time. Yet, Schaub says the Irishman is underpaid and no fighter is more underpaid than McGregor.

Jake Gyllenhaal reveals Conor McGregor clocked him 'right in the face' during late-night Road House shoot

“Nobody’s more underpaid than Conor McGregor,” Schaub said on his YouTube channel (H/T MMANews). “Now, no one wants to hear this because you see his whiskey sales, you see him in that movie, you know, Road House, you see him in all this stuff, and he’s making all that money, and you’re like ‘No, he’s set, he’s a damn-near billionaire.’ I get that, but just from – it’s very black and white – from a numbers standpoint, if you look at what Conor’s brought into the UFC money-wise… He’s the most underpaid athlete, probably of all time.”

“Now people say the argument is ‘Well, he wouldn’t be that big if he didn’t have the UFC,’” Schaub said. “Well, my argument would be the UFC wouldn’t be as big if they didn’t have Conor McGregor, so that’s why there has to be some sort of middle ground.”

Schaub certainly has a point that the UFC wouldn’t be as big without McGregor and he should have been paid 100’s millions of dollars for every fight like boxers do.

Conor McGregor anticipating summer return

Conor McGregor has said he will be return to the Octagon this summer against Michael Chandler.

Michael Chandler unfazed by Conor McGregor PED use everyone is on their own journey UFC 302
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

Following the premiere of Road House, McGregor said it’s all systems go for his return, which he says will be at International Fight Week in June in Las Vegas.

McGregor hasn’t fought since July of 2021 when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier in the trilogy match. Before that, he was knocked out by the Poirier in the rematch as his last win was in January of 2020.

Brendan Schaub claims Conor McGregor is the most underpaid fighter in UFC history: ‘He’s the most underpaid of all time’

Brendan Schaub claims Conor McGregor is the most underpaid UFC fighter of all timeBrendan Schaub says Conor McGregor is the most underpaid fighter of all time, and claims no one wants to…

Brendan Schaub claims Conor McGregor is the most underpaid UFC fighter of all time

Brendan Schaub says Conor McGregor is the most underpaid fighter of all time, and claims no one wants to hear it.

McGregor is the biggest superstar in the history of the UFC and is the highest-paid fighter of all time. Yet, Schaub says the Irishman is underpaid and no fighter is more underpaid than McGregor.

Jake Gyllenhaal reveals Conor McGregor clocked him 'right in the face' during late-night Road House shoot

“Nobody’s more underpaid than Conor McGregor,” Schaub said on his YouTube channel (H/T MMANews). “Now, no one wants to hear this because you see his whiskey sales, you see him in that movie, you know, Road House, you see him in all this stuff, and he’s making all that money, and you’re like ‘No, he’s set, he’s a damn-near billionaire.’ I get that, but just from – it’s very black and white – from a numbers standpoint, if you look at what Conor’s brought into the UFC money-wise… He’s the most underpaid athlete, probably of all time.”

“Now people say the argument is ‘Well, he wouldn’t be that big if he didn’t have the UFC,’” Schaub said. “Well, my argument would be the UFC wouldn’t be as big if they didn’t have Conor McGregor, so that’s why there has to be some sort of middle ground.”

Schaub certainly has a point that the UFC wouldn’t be as big without McGregor and he should have been paid 100’s millions of dollars for every fight like boxers do.

Conor McGregor anticipating summer return

Conor McGregor has said he will be return to the Octagon this summer against Michael Chandler.

Michael Chandler unfazed by Conor McGregor PED use everyone is on their own journey UFC 302
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

Following the premiere of Road House, McGregor said it’s all systems go for his return, which he says will be at International Fight Week in June in Las Vegas.

McGregor hasn’t fought since July of 2021 when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier in the trilogy match. Before that, he was knocked out by the Poirier in the rematch as his last win was in January of 2020.

Ex-UFC fighter says Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson has to be a pro fight, otherwise, there’s no point: ‘Why waste our time?’

Ex-UFC fighter says Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson has to be a pro fight, otherwise, there's no point: 'Why waste our time?'Unless Mike Tyson and Jake Paul are going to try and take each others’ heads off, former UFC standout…

Ex-UFC fighter says Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson has to be a pro fight, otherwise, there's no point: 'Why waste our time?'

Unless Mike Tyson and Jake Paul are going to try and take each others’ heads off, former UFC standout Brendan Schaub doesn’t see the point.

On Saturday, July 20, Tyson will return to the ring for a clash with ‘The Problem Child’ inside the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Aside from the date and location, we have very few details regarding the contest — in particular, whether this will be an exhibition match or a full-on professional fight.

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson

Recently, heavyweight boxing star Derek Chisora suggested that the bout will be contested with both fighters using headgear and 18-ounce gloves. However, Paul was quick to quell that rumor. Still, with little information to go off of, pundits are keen to remain skeptical about what could potentially be the most-watched fight in combat sports history.

“My only thing is, what kind of shenanigans are going on behind the scenes between [Tyson] and Jake?” Schaub said during a recent episode of The Fighter and The Kid podcast with Bryan Callen. “What’s the agreement? Because with Roy Jones we found out the agreement after was no headshots. Only to the body. Just do it in your gym and put it on YouTube. Don’t force me to pay if you’re going to do that bullsh*t. Don’t market it as a legit fight.”

He added, “If it comes out that the fight is with headgear and 18-ounce gloves, why waste our time? Netflix is going to be furious.”

Brendan Schaub on The Fighter and The Kid discussing Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul

Schaub Expects Jake Paul to Beat Mike Tyson in a ‘Legit fight’

If their clash in The Lone Star State is licensed as a pro bout, it will be the first of Mike Tyson’s career since a 2005 loss to Kevin McBride. The ‘baddest man on the planet‘ returned to the ring in November 2020 against Roy Jones Jr, but the contest was dubbed an exhibition with no real danger and no winner after going the full eight rounds.

Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr.

“If it’s a legit fight, Jake should beat him, but again, I’m not betting on this fight because I don’t know the shenanigans going on,” Schaub continued. “Boxing has so many shenanigans. That’s what’s wrong with the sport. It’s corrupt as sh*t.”

Instead of airing on traditional pay-per-view, Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul will air live on Netflix, making it the first time the media giant has broadcast a combat sports event to its 260+ million subscribers.

Video – Ex-UFC heavyweight standout Brendan Schaub flips his truck in scary-looking accident

Brendan SchaubEx-UFC heavyweight standout Brendan Schaub flipped his truck over while taking it out for a spin recently. “The only…

Brendan Schaub

Ex-UFC heavyweight standout Brendan Schaub flipped his truck over while taking it out for a spin recently.

The only question after flipping your truck is….but did you have fun tho?Schaub wrote on X along with a clip of the incident.

Fortunately, it appears as though Schaub was unharmed as he was able to immediately escape the wreck and clearly found some humor in the situation.

X Users Tease Brendan Schaub Following Accident

Commenters on X joined him in a laugh, with one saying: “If you would’ve had a handlebar on that mustache it probably wouldn’t have flipped over.”

Another added, “Time to buy a Cybertruck.”

I feel like this is just the beginning of the movie. Now Schaub is stuck in the desert with a dislocated shoulder. The car explodes. To survive Schaub has to use an interesting mix between his MMA and comedy tools.”

One fan even added some music to the video, giving it a hilariously dramatic effect.

Is the UFC forcing Conor McGregor to sit on the sidelines? ‘There’s a lot going on behind the scenes’

Conor McGregorIt’s been a year since Conor McGregor first revealed that his long-awaited return to the Octagon would be against…

Conor McGregor

It’s been a year since Conor McGregor first revealed that his long-awaited return to the Octagon would be against former Bellator MMA champion Michael Chandler.

After watching the two trade barbs on social media and competing against one another on the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter, we are still no closer to seeing McGregor vs. Chandler happen than we were during the initial announcement in 2023. Who’s to blame varies depending on who you’re talking to, but it’s become increasingly apparent that the UFC are the ones dragging their feet when it comes to booking the Irishman’s quote-unquote “greatest comeback in combat sports history.”

Former UFC heavyweight standout Brendan Schaub offered his take on the situation, suggesting that Dana White and Co. are keeping Conor McGregor out of the cage until they can lock down a new deal with the megastar.

“We thought Dana was going to announce the UFC 300 main event and co-main event today, but he didn’t do any of that,” Schaub began. “He announced that McGregor vs. Chandler is not happening in June. This is what my skeptical hippo eyes think; McGregor has one or two fights left on his contract. The UFC never lets you fight your contract out. Especially if you’re a megastar like Conor.

Manny Pacquiao is coming out of retirement. His number one opponent he wants to fight is McGregor. I think Conor’s like, ‘Yeah, I just need to fight Chandler and then I’m gonna fight Manny Pacquiao‘ and the UFC’s like, ‘No you’re not. You only have one or two fights left. We need to figure out a new deal with you.’ He’s like, ‘I don’t want to do that. I want to fight Chandler and then I’m gonna go fight Manny Pacquiao and probably Jake Paul. Maybe Nate Diaz in boxing. That’s what I want to do.’”

“The UFC’s going, ‘No way. We can’t let you go,’ because remember that the UFC is also in negotiations because their rights are up at ESPN,” Schaub continued. “So that’s going on. I’m sure Conor brings a lot to the table for the negotiation rights to TV whether it’s Netflix or wherever they’re going to end up. So they can’t let him leave. They’re just prolonging it. I think it would be a flex on Dana’s part too to do it because remember, he wouldn’t let Francis [Ngannou] do it. What do you think sells more? Francis/Fury — which didn’t do great — or Conor/Manny Pacquiao?

“So I think there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that we’re not privy to.

Conor McGregor’s Value to the UFC could be working against him

Currently, ESPN is the exclusive broadcast partner of the UFC after signing a seven-year deal worth roughly $300 million per year. As part of a two-year extension that runs until 2025, ESPN also maintains exclusive rights to all UFC pay-per-view broadcasts, which is another lucrative profit machine for the Las Vegas-based promotion.

McGregor is an undeniably massive asset for the promotion, not just when it comes to selling events, but advertising dollars, ticket sales, and broadcast rights — McGregor plays a role in all of it.

Is it possible that the UFC is intentionally keeping its top draw on lockdown during a pivotal renegotiating year for the promotion?