DANA WHITE has issued a defiant statement on Conor McGregor’s future amid fears he’ll never return to the UFC.
McGregor’s fighting future was thrown into limbo last week with the official cancellation of his long-overdue showdown with Michael Chandler.
The Notorious was left blindsided by the promotion’s decision to book Chandler in a November rematch with former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
MMA fans worldwide are now wondering if the Return of the Mac, who hasn’t fought since breaking his leg over three years ago, will ever come to fruition.
But White is adamant the UFC‘s poster boy will grace the octagon again.
When asked if he’s “confident” of McGregor fighting next year, the UFC’s President and CEO said last Friday: “Yes. I wasn’t 100 per cent in 2024, but I am in 2025.”
When pressed further, the 55-year-old doubled down and said: “I just am.
“I know more than you guys know. I’m 100 per cent confident McGregor will fight next year.”
McGregor was due to throw down with Chandler in June but was forced out of the Sin City showdown with a broken toe.
And the UFC brass have seemingly, much to the Irishman‘s frustration, decided against granting his wish of a December return.
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With more sides to his personality than an Octagon, Conor McGregor's rise has been an enthralling watch.
Going from UFC icon to entrepreneur and Hollywood star, the Irishman has transcended the sport he helped bring to the masses.
He has four children with fiancee Dee Devlin and the family enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
McGregor has not fought in UFC since breaking his leg in a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021.
That has not stopped him amassing a net worth of over £150m thanks to his Proper No Twelve whiskey and fashion line.
And he is due to return to the Octagon at UFC 303 in an eagerly-awaited headline clash with Michael Chandler.
McGregor also starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the Amazon Prime remake of classic movie Road House, although he is dreading his mum seeing one X-rated scene.
Notorious turned up to the premiere in a £60,000 suit that was outdone by his £460k watch.
The only thing sharper than his fashion sense is his tongue and the Dubliner has several bitter spats under his belt, including with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
That row led to one of his biggest controversies in 2018 as he travelled 3,000 miles to confront Khabib in a vicious attack on his bus.
He pleaded guilty to assault after punching a man in a pub in 2018 and had his £150k Bentley seized by police for driving offences four years later.
Joe Rogan lashed out at McGregor in a four-letter outburst and the Irishman has also fired shots at Jake Paul, KSI and Tommy Fury.
Boxing great Floyd Mayweather also has McGregor on his enemy list after the pair clashed in a cross-sport bout in 2017.
Read all of our latest Conor McGregor stories.
In an expletive-filled X rant, the former two-weight world champion roared: “Give me my f***ing date!”
He later added: “As far as Chandler rematching Oliveira, I’m happy with the date.
“It’s November. Maybe we can still do it after, if they’re not going to line me up until December, maybe January or February, one of these dates.
“Maybe we can still do it. I’m just a bit out of the loop with it. All I can do is carry on doing what I’m doing.
“I test under the testing administration, I train daily, and that’s it.
“Let’s see what happens. Hopefully, it all comes to fruition.”
Two fights are all McGregor has left on the lucrative contract he signed with MMA’s top promotion ahead of his 2018 grudge match with bitter rival Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Positive talks over a new deal were held before the cancellation of his clash with Chandler but have since cooled off.
The UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight champion told SunSport: “You know, the fight never happened.
“So it’s just about getting the fight on.”
