Conor McGregor reacts to fan's social media post with a "date announcement coming soon" message
Conor McGregor has put forth a seemingly telling update pertaining to his long-awaited comeback. The MMA great did so while responding to a fan's post on social media.
The Irishman last competed at UFC 264 in July 2021. His matchup, a lightweight bout against Dustin Poirier, ended in a horrific leg injury and first-round TKO defeat for McGregor. However, 'The Notorious' made a notable comeback to the UFC's on-screen programming, appearing on the TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) reality show.
McGregor served as a coach on the show, guiding several members of the TUF 31 cast. Meanwhile, his rival coach on the show was UFC lightweight Michael Chandler. The duo were expected to clash at the end of the TUF season in 2023, but their matchup didn't materialize in that timeframe.
Speculation abounded that Conor McGregor wasn't enrolled in the UFC's drug testing program long enough in 2023, which is why his comeback against Chandler was delayed till 2024. Heading into the New Year (2024), McGregor posted an announcement video asserting that his return fight would be a middleweight bout against Chandler on June 29, 2024.
The UFC is expected to organize the UFC 303 PPV (pay-per-view) event on June 29. Many believe that the organization could unravel the showdown between 'Iron' and 'The Notorious' as the event mentioned above's headliner. Regardless, UFC hasn't officially announced McGregor's comeback date yet.
Considering the variables at play, certain sections of the MMA community have lambasted the UFC for delaying McGregor's return despite his being fit and raring to go. Besides, the Irish MMA stalwart himself has expressed his displeasure with the UFC, deriding the promotion's apparent equivocation in booking his comeback fight.
On that note, a fan recently posted a tweet comprising a photograph of himself and his son. In the statement attached to the tweet, the fan suggested that irrespective of whether one loves or hates McGregor, the UFC isn't the same without him.
'The Notorious' responded to the tweet by thanking the fan and implying that his comeback date will be announced shortly. McGregor tweeted:
"Thank you Tim! A date announcement coming soon!"
Conor McGregor underlines eagerness to make UFC comeback
Conor McGregor's prolonged absence from MMA competition in the UFC has led some to question his will to compete again. For his part, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion recently implied that he's eyeing MMA bouts against Chandler and Nate Diaz in the UFC, besides possibly boxing Manny Pacquiao.
During a promotional press conference related to his upcoming movie debut, McGregor recently emphasized that he's primed to fight in the UFC and is mapping out a plan for his return. Moreover, he highlighted that he has a couple of fights left on his UFC contract, further alluding that he'd like to compete at least twice this year. McGregor said:
"I've got two fights left on my contract. Negotiations are ongoing."
Watch McGregor's assessment below: