Dana White is blunt about McGregor's return: "He's not going to fight right now..."

If there's one name that has dominated all conversations about mixed martial arts (MMA) for years, it's Conor McGregor. The Irish superstar transcended the sport to stratospheric levels. So much so that, despite coming off two straight losses and not having fought since 2021, many fans are still eagerly awaiting his return. However, as time goes by, that return becomes increasingly difficult . Now, the former two-time UFC champion can be found everywhere but in a cage.

Not even the company's president, Dana White , who has always supported the Irishman, is confident that he will return to fight inside the most famous cage on the planet. "[McGregor] is not going to fight right now . I haven't spoken to him for a minute," he stated into Adam Glyn's microphone. This is one of the few occasions in which White has appeared pessimistic about the Irishman's return. He has always been confident that McGregor would at least give one last dance .

The truth is that in recent years, The Notorious, his fighting nickname, has been involved in a multitude of entanglements. He has become co-owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), a bare-knuckle boxing promotion; played a villain in a film; was convicted of sexual assault ; and even announced he would run for election in Ireland. Life has certainly changed a lot for the man who was once one of the UFC's greatest legends.

His last fight is now a long way off. On July 10, 2021, McGregor was stretchered off from his fight against Dustin Poirier after breaking his leg. Since then, there have been constant hints of his return. The clearest was when Dana White himself confirmed his fight against Michael Chandler for UFC 303. Unfortunately, an injury ruined the evening. Since then, the Irishman has stayed away from any octagon. The last time he was asked about his return, he commented that he was more concerned about the future of his country .

The young Irishman who amazed fans with his impressive knockouts and revolutionary way of speaking inside the cage has gradually faded. Despite his absence, the UFC has continued to grow, with many stars replacing one of such magnitude. First, Sean O'Malley and now Ilia Topuria appear to be trying to pick up the baton left by Conor McGregor. However, he is still far from his media-level numbers.