UFC legend Chael Sonnen has made a startling observation about former two-division champion Conor McGregor, claiming the Irish star now looks significantly older than UFC President Dana White, despite their actual age difference.
In a recent segment of his show, Sonnen shared his candid assessment after seeing a side-by-side image of McGregor and White.
“They did a side by side. It was Connor and Dana,” Sonnen said. “I took my glasses off. I put my glasses on. I swear to goodness, Connor looked 10 years older than Dana White.”
The comment is particularly noteworthy given that White, 54, is considerably older than the 35-year-old McGregor. Sonnen didn’t hold back in his analysis of McGregor’s appearance, suggesting lifestyle choices may be to blame.
“I remember seeing this photo of this fighter that I used to so look forward to… and you could see it in the eyes… like you could see the booze in the eyelids and the c**aine in the eyeballs staring at you on a page saying, ‘I want to fight,'” Sonnen remarked.
The UFC Hall of Famer’s observations come amid ongoing speculation about McGregor’s return to the octagon. According to Sonnen, many fighters continue to chase a big-money fight with McGregor despite his prolonged absence from competition and the UFC President’s apparent lack of interest.
Sonnen highlighted the disconnect between McGregor’s statements about returning and White’s position, noting that the UFC President has publicly indicated they’re
“not even close”
to booking McGregor’s return and that he’s
“not even taking his calls right now.”
While fighters like Michael Chandler continue to position themselves for a potential McGregor bout, Sonnen questioned the wisdom of pursuing a match with someone whose physical appearance has changed so dramatically and who appears disconnected from the promotion’s decision-makers.
McGregor hasn’t competed in the UFC since July 2021, when he suffered a leg injury in his second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier.
