Conor McGregor said Wednesday that he is preparing to return to combat sports in the coming months, confirming long-running speculation that he’ll compete once again in the UFC.
The MMA star is a former two-weight champion in UFC and Cage Warriors, part-owner in prominent fight firm Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and a one-fight boxing novice having taken part in one of the best-selling bouts of all time when he challenged Floyd Mayweather, unsuccessfully, in the last hurrah of the American’s career.
The Irishman hasn’t competed for years, following a nasty leg break and doctor’s stoppage defeat to Dustin Poirier in 2022, which saw his pro record slip to 22 wins (19 KOs and one Sub) against four losses — four of which arrived in his last seven MMA fights.
Regardless, his name value remains solid in the sport and, with two fights remaining on his UFC deal, together with participation in random drug-testing, rumors of a return to the Octagon have always been around.
Now, he’s once again confirmed that a fight is in his crosshairs, saying in a statement this week that his focus is now training on “this summer’s fight,” according to RTE.
McGregor was due in a High Court over a case brought against him by his former sparring partner and friend, Artem Lobov, who said he was owed, through a handshake and oral agreement, 5% of McGregor’s sale of the Proper No. Twelve whiskey brand.
The parties settled before they were due in that court.
It was senior counsel Mark Lynam who read a statement from McGregor’s behalf on the settlement agreement, within which he also mentioned the fighter’s ambition to fight. Lobov, meanwhile, said he was “happy with the resolution.”
