UFC CEO Dana White reacts after Conor McGregor hints at an August or September return: “He’s not ready”

UFC CEO Dana White has reacted after Conor McGregor hinted that he plans to return to the Octagon in August or September.

McGregor (22-6 MMA) was slated to return in the headliner of next weekend’s UFC 303 event for a welterweight bout with Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA). Unfortunately for fight fans, a broken toe suffered in training camp forced ‘Notorious’ to withdraw from the highly anticipated matchup.

Conor McGregor was in attendance for today’s Bellator Dublin event and told reporters that he plans to fight again in either August or September of this year.

When asked about the Irishman’s UFC 303 withdrawal, UFC CEO Dana White gave the following response:

“Yea, it’s been crazy. But it’s always crazy, if it’s not these kinds of things, it is a lot of other things. It’s the business that we’re in.”

Dana White is asked about the last two weeks and if he is open to creating a date in August or September for Conor McGregor.#UFC pic.twitter.com/Trd4T5gd1u

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) June 22, 2024

As for Conor McGregor’s claim that he plans to be ready to return to the Octagon in either August or September, Dana White shared the following sentiments:

“I don’t know right now. Yea, you know are schedule is already laid out, so we’ll see. I’m not doing anything until I know that Conor is healthy. It’s not even worth talking about. You know, what about September? What about October? He’s not ready. So why even talk about that.”

Conor McGregor last fought back in 2021, where he was defeated by Dustin Poirier in their trilogy fight at UFC 264. ‘Notorious’ suffered a broken leg in that contest and has been on the sidelines ever since. The last time the Irishman won a fight was in January of 2020 at UFC 246 when he defeated Donald Cerrone by first-round TKO.

It will be interesting to see if Dana White and company do book Conor McGregor to fight before the end of 2024.