UFC News: Conor McGregor blames UFC for stalling his return; aims to fight in year-end charity bout
'The Mystic Mac' Conor McGregor has finally revealed why he has been away from the Octagon and if the outspoken Irishman is to be believed, he did not have a choice. Conor McGregor hasn't fought since losing to arch rival Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October, 2018.
Since then, the former 'champ-champ' has been linked with a lot of fighters for his Octagon comeback including the likes of Nate Diaz, Justin Gaethje, Donald Cerrone and Frankie Edgar but none of these fights came to fruition.
UFC holding McGregor back?
At a media event in Ukraine hosted by a betting site, the Irishman elaborated on the On Tuesday at a media event in the Ukraine hosted by betting site Parimatch, McGregor spoke about the adversity he faced while trying to book his next fight.
He further claimed that he had suggested several dates for his return, all of which were rejected by the UFC. However, Conor still hopes to return to the cage in December. (h/t MMA Fighting)
“I just want to compete now. I was trying to get the Dec. 14th card, for whatever reason they’ve been holding me back. I’m giving them dates, I’m saying I want to fight this date, this date, this date, this date in a row, and we had opponents selected and everything and they’re just making it very difficult for me for whatever reason."
McGregor is eager to get back in action, and aims to set up a charity event sometime in December.
“So now I’m kind of in a position where I’m attempting to set up a charity event. I’ve done this before in my hometown but I done it in an amateur boxing event at my old boxing club, Crumlin Boxing Club, but I want to do it in mixed martial arts competition also. Create an event, find an opponent, compete, zero prize. I do not care about the prize. The prize is in my home. I have five prizes in my home that I seek to get, I’ve got them.
I just want to compete now, I want to come back, I want to get sharp, I want to show the best of myself and continue to climb. So that’s what I am seeking to do. So we are looking to do that sometime in December, hopefully have a charity mixed martial arts event for zero prize. The prize will go to charity, so that’s what we are aiming for.”
Fight against Frankie Edgar not good for business?
McGregor says he was disappointed when UFC President Dana White rejected a fight between him and company veteran Frankie Edgar. He says that the organization does feel think that a fight against Edgar will make enough money.
“I even offered for the Frankie Edgar bout to donate my purse to charity because they were saying we won’t make enough money on the Frankie fight and I was like, I don’t care, don’t worry about me, give my purse to charity."
Although The Notorious One did not disclose an official date for his imminent return to the Octagon, he did say that an announcement is around the corner.
“We’re very, very close to announcing it. Not just yet, but surely over the course of this trip we should have an announcement, so that’s what we were aiming for.”
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