Dana White: ‘Conor McGregor will fight next year, early 2025’

Conor McGregor is coming back to UFC … eventually.

Even though his foot is “fully healed” following a broken toe back in June — severe enough to cancel the UFC 303 main event — it seems “Notorious” will remain sidelined until 2025. That’s according to UFC CEO Dana White, who teased a 2025 comeback.

Perhaps Jake Paul was right?

“Let me tell you this, I was the one this year saying I don’t think he’s going to fight this year, amid all the talk and everything else,” White told New York Post Sports. “Conor McGregor will fight next year, early 2025. He’s had so much time off, as far as the hunger, he’s a very wealthy guy. We’ll find out. We’ll find out when he comes back, but he is definitely one of the big superstars of the sport that elevated the UFC all throughout Europe and other parts of the world. He’s been a big star and a great partner for us.”

A great partner … but not a great opponent.

McGregor, 36, has not competed since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier back in summer 2021. His oft-delayed comeback has been slowed by a variety of setbacks, including drug-testing shenanigans, film schedules, and legal drama.

Safe to say not even White knows what’s real at this point.