Conor McGregor's long-awaited return to the UFC won't happen this year.
UFC president Dana White addressed the future of the former two-division champion after the season debut of "Dana White's Contender Series" on Tuesday. While he was optimistic that McGregor would compete again for the promotion, White made it clear that a fight with Michael Chandler will not happen before the end of the year.
"We talked and he wants to fight," White said when asked when McGregor will return to the Octagon. "We'll figure it out. Not this year. He won't fight this year."
McGregor didn't take long to respond, dashing off a post on X that took issue with White pushing off his return until at least 2025.
"Ah Dana, December is the date," he wrote. "Bring the calendar year home with a winning event! Come on now, what's this? I am off to altitude next month to prepare. December! Tell Dana and UFC we want December! We deserve December!"
McGregor has not fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. A return for arguably the biggest star in UFC history was set for UFC 303 on June 29 against Chandler, but a broken toe forced McGregor out of the bout 16 days before the fight.
Since then, McGregor has been adamant he would be back in action before the end of 2024. However, White had shut down the idea of McGregor returning to the Octagon between August and October. With UFC 308 headlined by featherweight champion Ilia Topuria defending his title against Max Holloway on Oct. 26, the options for a McGregor-Chandler fight rapidly diminished.
It is expected that heavyweight champion Jon Jones will headline UFC 309 against Stipe Miocic at New York's Madison Square Garden in November, leaving UFC 310 in Las Vegas as the final pay-per-view card left for McGregor to headline. While Chandler was originally optimistic that the fight could take place then, the former Bellator champion started to accept it might not come to fruition after video surfaced of McGregor drinking alcoholic beverages at a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.
"Never mind guys," Chandler wrote on X. "I think it's time I finally admit the fight is off."
White did not say if McGregor's actions had anything to do with his statement Tuesday that McGregor would not fight in 2024, but there is growing concern that the wait for his return will be a lot longer than initially expected.