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Conor McGregor cruises around the Mediterranean as UFC boss Dana White casts doubt on fighting future

Former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor has taken his family on a cruise around the Mediterranean this week – taking in the scenery around the Basin after UFC president, Dana White appeared less than committal on a date for the Dubliner’s return to the Octagon. McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner […]

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the UFC, recently returned to television last week, as the premiere of The Ultimate Fighter 31 aired on ESPN – with the 34-year-old featuring as an opposing coach on the reality television show against former lightweight title chaser, Michael Chandler.

Sidelined from the Octagon since July 2021, Conor McGregor suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula en route to a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss against former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

And while the counter striker had outlined a return to active competition by December of this year, Conor McGregor’s expected date for a return fight with Chandler at the welterweight limit, has been cast into further uncertainty, with UFC leader, White claiming it has been difficult to “reel” the ex-champion in.

“We have a massive roster fo people that want to come in and people that are ready to fight and people that want to be Conor McGregor,” Dana White told assembled media following UFC Vegas 74. “And be at that level. It’s like for the last 20 years everybody said, ‘Oh my God, what are you guys going to do when Chuck Liddell retires? You guys are f*cked. Oh my God. GSP. Anderson Silva. This and that.’”

“First of all, Conor called me a couple of days ago and loved the first episode of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and saying how happy he was to be a part of it,” White explained. “And I think being here and part of the environment and everything else, he felt it again and felt like he wants to get back to fight. The one thing you guys have to understand is this kid has so much money. It’s like Khabib now. These guys got sh*tloads of money and it’s hard to reel these guys in and get them to get in and fight.”

Conor McGregor parties with American musician Rick Ross during family holiday

In the wake of White’s comments, McGregor – who recently attended a Formula One Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, shared footage of him cruising around the Mediterranean with members of his family, with fans and members of the mixed martial arts community again distancing the Dubliner from a comeback to fighting. (H/T TalkSPORT)

pic.twitter.com/SVSkiIrCNv

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 5, 2023

Conor McGregor season of The Ultimate Fighter’s debuted episode averages 294,000 viewers, drop on prior feature

The Ultimate Fighter season 31, coached by Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler debuts at an average of 294,000 viewers. Last Tuesday marked the return of McGregor coaching on TUF, eight years on from his first season (22) when he was pitted against Urijah Faber. Recent viewing figures revealed that it averaged close to 300,000 viewers […]

The Ultimate Fighter season 31, coached by Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler debuts at an average of 294,000 viewers.

Last Tuesday marked the return of McGregor coaching on TUF, eight years on from his first season (22) when he was pitted against Urijah Faber. Recent viewing figures revealed that it averaged close to 300,000 viewers and was the 11^th most popular show that day. According to the Nielsen rating system, the episode received .14 market shared in the 18–49-year-old demographic.

These figures are down considerably from McGregor’s first appearance on the show, the debuting episode of season 22 reached an average viewership of 622,000. However, the viewership numbers are still up considerably from the last available figures for a season of TUF, which was season 28. Robert Whittaker coached opposite Kelvin Gastelum and their debuting episode averaged 186,000.

The next episode of the series is set to air later tonight and will pick up following Roosevelt Roberts eight-second knockout of Nate Jennerman. This series difference from previous as it has not just rising prospects, but also features former UFC fighters such as Roberts, who are looking for a way back to the promotion.

Conor McGregor’s return to fighting

When news broke that McGregor would be coaching on TUF, it seemed that we would definitely get a fight along with it at some point this year. However, even with the first episode having aired, McGregor has not even re-entered back into the USADA testing pool, which he would have to do to be eligible to fight in the UFC.

Even with both UFC President Dana White and McGregor himself having been insistent on an announcement coming soon, nothing seems imminent and ‘The Notorious’ does not appear to be in training camp.

Are you enjoying Conor McGregor’s new season of The Ultimate Fighter?

Charles Oliveira eyes fight with UFC star Conor McGregor: ‘Everyone can tell that he’s avoiding me’

Ahead of his upcoming Octagon return this weekend in the co-main event of UFC 289, former lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has claimed ex-two-weight champion, Conor McGregor has been “avoiding” a fight with him, however, he is still plotting a bout with the Dubliner. Oliveira, the current #1 ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since suffering […]

Oliveira, the current #1 ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since suffering a second round arm-triangle submission loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 last October – seeing his division-best 12-fight winning run halted in the pair’s vacant lightweight title fight.

As for McGregor, the Crumlin native has been sidelined since he fractured his left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss against common-foe and former interim champion, Dustin Poirier.

Charles Oliveira still chasing fight with ex-UFC champion, Conor McGregor

Slated to return beneath a bantamweight title fight featuring his compatriot, Amanda Nunes and challenger, Irene Aldana at UFC 289 this weekend in Vancouver, Oliveira, the promotion’s most prolific finisher and submission artist, has touched on a future fight with former two-weight gold holder, McGregor.

“Everyone knows that Conor (McGregor) is avoiding me,” Charles Oliveira told Sports Illustrated ahead of UFC 289. “His fight against (Michael) Chandler will be great, but everyone can tell he is avoiding me. Personally, I think Chandler will win.”

“Conor is very strategic,” Charles Oliveira explained through his translator. “And he can fight. But he won’t fight me.”

Without a victory since May of last year, Sao Paulo native, Oliveira – who shares the Octagon with Beneil Dariush this weekend, most recently landed a first round rear-naked choke submission win against former interim champion, Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Oliveira minted himself as the lightweight champion back in 2021, securing the vacant crown with a rallying second round KO win over the above-mentioned, Chandler.

Conor McGregor: ‘If I was not busy with everything at my disposal, it could be catastrophic’

Conor McGregor believes that if he doesn’t stay busy, the results could be catastrophic. The Irishman is one of the most well-known athletes in the world and as a result, is one of the wealthiest. With the kind of money McGregor has at his disposal, he could get into a plethora of illicit activities. Keeping […]

Conor McGregor believes that if he doesn’t stay busy, the results could be catastrophic.

The Irishman is one of the most well-known athletes in the world and as a result, is one of the wealthiest. With the kind of money McGregor has at his disposal, he could get into a plethora of illicit activities. Keeping that in mind, the former two-division UFC champion is staying as busy as possible in an effort to keep himself out of trouble.

“I am happy with being busy. I like to be busy, it keeps me in check, it keeps me honest and it keeps me in line,” McGregor said in an interview with Daily Mail Sport. “If I was not busy, with everything at my disposal, it could be catastrophic. I could run myself into a wall. So, I like to keep busy. I must keep my wits about me and I must stay sharp. That’s it. My mother always says box clever and that’s it, I’m boxing clever when it comes to this.”

For Conor McGregor, staying on the straight and narrow is relatively simple. It’s all about building structure and staying consistent once established.

“Consistency and structure is key,” McGregor revealed. “That’s what it’s about. We stay consistent, we keep to the structure, we keep to the plan and that’s it.”

Conor McGregor is Ready to Do Some Damage in His Return to the Octagon

Currently, Conor McGregor is preparing for his highly anticipated return to the Octagon later this year. Sitting on the sidelines following a devastating leg break in his July 2021 scrap with Dustin Poirier, ‘The Notorious’ is readying himself for a comeback that he hopes will ultimately lead to capturing the promotion’s all-time knockouts record, currently co-held by UFC veteran Matt Brown and heavyweight knockout artist Derrick Lewis.

The Irishman is currently slated for a late 2023 scrap with high-octane lightweight contender ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler. Before they strap on the four-ounce gloves and go toe-to-toe, Conor McGregor and Chandler can be seen competing against one another on the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter, currently airing on ESPN. Of course, that’s just a precursor for what’s to come later this year.

“I’m going to kick this guy in the head,” McGregor said of his opponent. “He’s just tailor-made for being kicked all over the place, and that’s what I’m aiming for. I am aiming to wrap this steel bar around the opponent. And you’re going to see a visual of the leg hanging off and then you’re going to see a visual of a head hanging off. So I’m excited for that and motivated for that, and steady making my way towards it.”

No date, location, or weight class has been announced for the bout, but all parties, including UFC President Dana White, have suggested December being the likeliest of scenarios. One thing that we do know is that no matter where the fight takes place, Conor McGregor will be backed by over five million fans in his home country.

“We [Ireland] are a fighting nation. We back our own. When one of us goes to war, we all go to war,” McGregor said. “I said it in 2014 and it’s honestly the truth. We are always ready to rock. Ireland is electric on a Tuesday and it’s on fire on a Saturday.”

Conor McGregor currently owns three pubs in his home country, the most popular being Black Forge Inn in Dublin. McGregor also made a fortune hauking his own brand of Irish whiskey, Proper No. 12. In 2021, the Irishman alongside his business partners sold their majority stake in the brand to Proximo Spirits for a whopping $600 million.

Dana White casts doubt on Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon: ‘It’s hard to reel these guys back in’

Dana White is not concerning himself with the lack of movement on the highly anticipated clash between Conor McGregor and ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler. In February, the UFC revealed that McGregor and Chandler would appear as opposing coaches on the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter ahead of their inevitable clash inside the Octagon. Fast forward […]

Dana White is not concerning himself with the lack of movement on the highly anticipated clash between Conor McGregor and ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler.

In February, the UFC revealed that McGregor and Chandler would appear as opposing coaches on the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter ahead of their inevitable clash inside the Octagon. Fast forward four months later, fans have glimpsed the first episode of TUF featuring the two former world champions, but there have been zero updates regarding when the two men will actually strap on the four-ounce gloves themselves.

Speaking to members of the medial following Saturday’s UFC Vegas 74 event at The APEX, White spoke of the difficulties in trying to put fights together week after week.

“That’s the business we’re in. Anything is possible in this business. We were just talking about PFL and what happened to those guys. Anything is possible,” White said during the post-fight press conference. “You don’t know. And you guys don’t know this much of what goes on behind the scenes and how hard it is to put all these fights together and when you look at what Sean [Shelby] and Mick [Maynard] have done this last week to keep some of these guys in the fight, like Jim Miller. Bringing savages from Tajikistan on short notice. It’s a rough business to keep your fight cards together and pull this stuff off.”

Speaking about Conor McGregor specifically, White confirmed that the Irishman has seemingly had his desire to fight reignited in conjunction with the first episode of TUF 31 airing, but admits that dragging a fighter with an unlimited supply of cash back into the Octagon is a very tough task.

“First of all, Conor called me the other day and loved the first episode of The Ultimate Fighter and saying how happy he was that he was a part of it. And I think being here in the environment and everything else, he felt it again and felt like he wants to get back and fight,” White continued. “One thing you have to understand is, this kid has so much money. It’s like Khabib now. This guy’s got sh*tloads of money and it’s hard to reel these guys back in and get them fired up and ready to fight.”

Dana White Strives to Create the Next Conor McGregor, Not Drag the Old One Back Kicking and Screaming

As far as his concerns about never being able to reel Conor McGregor back into the Octagon, the UFC President made it clear that he has no concerns, noting that this is simply the nature of the beast. Fighters come and go and that is not exclusive to mixed martial arts. Every sport sees athletes come in, make millions of dollars, and then retire.

White reiterated that his job is not to drag established champions back inside the cage. It’s to develop the next generation of money-makers.

“I never get concerned. We have a massive roster of people that want to come in and people that are ready to fight. People that want to be Conor McGregor and be at that level. It’s like for the last 20 years everybody said, ‘Oh my god, what are you guys going to do when Chuck Liddell retires? You guys are f*cked. My god, GSP, Anderson Silva. This and that.’

“This is a professional sport. People come in here, achieve great things, and they retire. You can never worry about that type of stuff. It is what it is. It’s part of the game. It’s my job and my team’s job to find new talent and build them and take them to that level.

Conor McGregor recently confirmed that he had submitted paperwork announcing his re-entry into the USADA testing pool for a required six months of screening. With that timeline in mind, the earliest possible date for his return against Michael Chandler would be December 2023. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen.

Ben Askren details reason behind boxing Jake Paul, delivers prediction for Nate Diaz fight

Although it didn’t go to plan, Ben Askren (19-2 MMA) planned on being the one to end the Jake Paul experiment before it even began. During the rise of ‘influencer boxing’ in 2020, it was mocked by most professional fighters who believed it was nothing more than a fad. The emergence of controversial YouTuber Jake […]

Although it didn’t go to plan, Ben Askren (19-2 MMA) planned on being the one to end the Jake Paul experiment before it even began.

During the rise of ‘influencer boxing’ in 2020, it was mocked by most professional fighters who believed it was nothing more than a fad.

The emergence of controversial YouTuber Jake Paul to the ‘influencer boxing’ scene did however add some intrigue.

Paul’s professional boxing career began with knockout wins over the likes of influencer Ali Eson Gib and former NBA player Nate Robinson kept the train moving.

Although Jake Paul’s wins continued to push him into the limelight, many people knew that he was beating untrained fighters. Despite this, his obnoxious persona attracted fans who tuned in to watch him receive some long-overdue karma.

Despite this, fans could see visible improvement in Paul’s boxing ability, they knew someone with some fighting experience would have to be called upon.

That someone was Ben Askren.

‘Funky’ had one of the best wrestling pedigrees in MMA, however, when it came to fighting Jake Paul, it was apparent his best days were behind him.

Unfortunately for the optimistic MMA fans, Ben Askren’s striking was exposed by YouTuber Jake Paul, and paid the ultimate price after getting knocked out one minute and 59 seconds into the first round.

Ben Askren gives his prediction for Jake Paul Vs. Nate Diaz

Since Pauls’s fight with Askren, ‘The Problem Child’ has racked up wins against the likes of Tyron Woodley (19-7-1 MMA) and Anderson Silva (34-11 MMA), amassing a record of 6-1.

Following Jake Paul’s latest loss to Tommy Fury, he is set to face another UFC legend, Nate Diaz (21-13 MMA), on August 5^th.

In a recent interview on ‘Daniel Cormier TV’, Ben Askren admitted he overlooked Jake Paul as a legitimate threat, however, he is done doubting his former opponent.

“I got to imagine [he beats Diaz],” Ben Askren stated.

“I didn’t think Jake Paul would beat Tyron [Woodley] or Anderson Silva. So yeah, I kind of think so. It sounded like fun [to box him] and I hoped he sucked. We didn’t know at that point! At that point, he only boxed a comedian or something and a basketball player. So we didn’t know nothing. I thought, ‘Oh, hopefully, this dude’s just a bum. He’s gonna try and hit me hard for a round, he’s gonna get tired, then I’m gonna beat him up.’ We didn’t know he was any good.”

Despite Nate Diaz’s impressive fighting lineage, Askren believes that Diaz is underestimating Paul and making the same mistake he made.

Regardless, with a win over Nate Diaz, the 26-year-old social media star will be eyeing up a high-profile affair with Conor McGregor (22-6 MMA). The tie between the three of them would be McGregor’s long-standing rivalry with Diaz in the UFC.

Assuming McGregor would be willing and interested in another crossover boxing bout, Askren sees it being profitable for all involved.

“Yeah, I did [make more money fighting Paul],” Askren exclaimed.

“I think McGregor times Jake Paul makes everyone a lot of money and I think if he beats up Nate Diaz it makes a lot of sense. I don’t know what Conor’s contract is or what his relationship is with UFC where he can go get it done but I think a lot of people buy that fight. I think there’s a lot of casual fans who just want to see a boxing match and you know what, Jake Paul’s actually not bad at boxing, and maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better potentially, but he did beat Tyron, he did beat Anderson Silva.”

Tag: Conor McGregor