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Why can’t the biggest star in the UFC get a fight booked?
Make no mistake, Conor McGregor wants to return to action. His last appearance in July 2021 resulted in a horrific broken leg and loss to Dustin Poirier, and the Irish athlete is ready to move forward. He’s repeatedly called to get booked, yet his return keeps getting pushed back according to UFC CEO Dana White. It’s especially confusing when UFC 300 still needs a main event, and the options are dwindling.
In a recent interview with Kevin Iole, White elaborated further on McGregor’s absence and inability to book a return bout. In short, White laid the delay at McGregor’s feet and blamed his injury recovery and incredible personal wealth.
Dana White on why Conor McGregor doesn’t have a fight booked yet
– Lists Conor’s injury as one of the reasons why the layoff has taken so long. Cites Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman layoffs as examples.
– Says Conor doesn’t need the money, and says “it’s a different dynamic… pic.twitter.com/lRH4O6A4ZT
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 14, 2024
“First of all, he is coming back from one of the nastiest injuries you can come back from. How long was Anderson Silva out? How long was Chris Weidman out when he did it? The guys who break that bone … that’s an issue right there, number one. Number two: Conor McGregor doesn’t need the f—king money. When you don’t need the money, it’s not as easy. I mean, Khabib! Khabib doesn’t need the money, and Khabib retired.”
When asked about McGregor’s current fitness and training, White continued “I know he’s training; I don’t know what level of training he’s doing. I don’t know what level of kicking he’s doing right now. I don’t know any of that stuff … I need to know the guys in a full camp and he’s ready to go. Conor McGregor has a movie coming out, businesses he’s built — it’s a completely different dynamic when you’re dealing with a guy that has this kind of money.”
To answer White’s questions above, Silva returned to action just 14 months after breaking his leg (failing a drug test in the process), while Weidman was out of action for 29 months after suffering nasty complications and multiple surgeries during his recovery. By the time McGregor does fight, his delay will have been the longest.
Furthermore, McGregor has been active in the gym according to his social media posts. Hell, even 18 months ago McGregor was showing off his surgically repaired leg on the heavy bag! Recently, he’s posted some sparring footage, which alongside public demands for a booking, seem to indicate that “Notorious” is ready to fight again.
Any more guesses on the explanation for the delay?
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Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
