Conor McGregor, who is still Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion until the promotion pulls the trigger on this, is a regular reader here at MMAmania.com and no doubt saw this quote from promotion president Dana White claiming “Notorious” was never coming back to mixed martial arts (MMA).
I guess that depends on who you ask.
According to the fighting Irishman, not only is he competing again, he even offered to step in for the injured Max Holloway, who left Frankie Edgar without an opponent in the UFC 222 pay-per-view (PPV) main event next month in Las Vegas, Nevada.
At featherweight.
“I put my name forward to step in at UFC 222 to face Frankie Edgar when Max Holloway pulled out, but I was told there wasn’t enough time to generate the money that the UFC would need,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. “I was excited about bouncing in last minute and taking out the final featherweight, without all the rest of the stuff that comes with this game.”
The open slot eventually went to featherweight up-and-comer Brian Ortega.
“I am fighting again,” he said. “Period. I am the best at this. Please respect the insane amount of work outside the fight game that I have put in. On top of the fighting. I am here. It is on them to come and get me. Because I am here. Yours sincerely, The Champ Champ™.”
Until the promotion gets a hard date on McGregor’s return, Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov will collide for the interim lightweight title at UFC 223 in April, then likely move on to face “Notorious” later this year.
Unless something crazy (like this) happens.