Even Conor McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh is baffled as to why the UFC is taking so long to schedule his comeback to the Octagon.
Since sustaining a leg injury at the July 2021 UFC 264 main event, McGregor has been sidelined. The two-division champion said that he was going to make the “greatest comeback in combat sports history” at UFC 296 last December, UFC 300 on April 13, and most recently, June 29 when the promotion closes off International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
When Kavanagh appeared on The MMA Hour with Alta business partner Rich Chou, questions about Conor McGregor’s condition and the reason the UFC is taking so long to schedule a match with the greatest name in MMA naturally came up.
It turns out that Kavanaugh has no more idea than the rest of us.
Kavanaugh said: “I won’t pretend to know the politics and what’s going on with legal stuff in the background. All I know is it seems odd that we’re not getting [any news]. Like I said, I really am speaking from a position of ignorance because I actually try to purposefully avoid all of that.”
“[McGregor’s manager] Audie [Attar] and the team, they do all that, they go back and forth with Hunter [Campbell] and the UFC team. But yeah, it’s weird to me for someone to be the star he is and not get more opportunities.”
With eight of the top ten pay-per-view buyrates ever recorded, Conor McGregor is the highest-grossing athlete in UFC history. His contribution to the promotion’s development and popularity has been crucial.
While waiting for his return to the Octagon, McGregor is set to make his debut in feature film acting. McGregor portrays an antagonist named Knox in Amazon Prime Video’s remake of the action classic ‘Road House.’
Despite McGregor and Kavanagh’s readiness, UFC CEO Dana White has pointed fingers at McGregor’s wealth for the delay. McGregor refutes this, claiming the UFC is prolonging his return which is affecting his motivation to compete.
The uncertainty surrounding Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon persists, leaving fans eager for clarity. As speculations continue, only time will reveal when the UFC’s biggest star will grace the Octagon once again.