The UFC’s biggest star in the history of the sport could be back in the ring this summer.
Ireland’s Conor McGregor, a former double UFC champion, told ESPN on Tuesday that he expects to fight Michael Chandler at some point this summer.
The exact date and which event McGregor will make his return are still to be determined.
“We got confirmation a few days ago that it’s all systems go,” McGregor told ESPN.
This fight has been in the works for months, as in early February, UFC president Dana White said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show that McGregor and Chandler will “eventually” fight, vaguely adding “hopefully this year.”
McGregor also posted a video to social media in late December announcing he would be returning to the Octagon this summer during the UFC’s planned International Fight Week in Las Vegas, however, that does not appear to be the current plan.
Chandler and McGregor coached opposite one another on the UFC’s reality series The Ultimate Fighter in 2023, with the expectation they would fight at a future event following the conclusion of the tournament.
McGregor, who turns 36 in July, has fought just four times since winning the lightweight title back in 2016. He lost three of those fights, including back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier in 2021. McGregor was knocked out at UFC 257 then sustained a broken leg in the rematch at UFC 264 and has not fought since.
The Irish superstar, despite his inactivity, has managed to stay in the spotlight. He is set to appear in his first feature film alongside Jake Gyllenhaal when Road House is released on streaming Thursday.