Conor McGregor is already lobbying for a trilogy fight with Max Holloway following UFC 329’s botched main event, but UFC CEO Dana White isn’t ready to discuss any plans involving “Notorious.”
As many expected, there’s been some significant fallout after McGregor injured himself in the opening minutes of his rematch with Holloway last weekend at UFC 329. UFC may have recorded its highest gate of all-time, but fight fans were left with a real sour taste in their mouths. After all, many people spent
thousands and thousands of dollars to travel to Las Vegas just to see McGregor’s long-awaited return go up in flames in 69 seconds.
Others lost a ton of money betting on McGregor’s comeback.
While McGregor is already on the road to recovery and hoping to return to the Octagon to fulfill the last fight on his UFC contract, it’s hard to predict if UFC can even promote McGregor in typical fashion following his dud-of-a-performance at UFC 329. So even though “Notorious” has publicly asked UFC officials to run things back with Holloway next year nobody seems to be a in a rush.
This includes White, who isn’t even thinking about McGregor’s next fight despite the UFC cash cow returning to spearhead $25 million in ticket sales and nearly 16 million in U.S. viewers on Paramount+.
“Not even thinking about it,” White told Spinnin Backfist on Friday. “Conor still has to have knee surgery and go through everything he’s going to have to go through. I understand he’s very unhappy with the way shit played out but you’re a human being, you’re older, you haven’t fought in five years and Father Time is undefeated.
“So who the f—k knows what’s going to happen with Max over the next year and what’s going to happen with Conor over the next year?”
UFC did plan on bringing McGregor back in April 2027, but with his injury at UFC 329 it’s unknown if that timeline is still a possibility. Instead, White is shelving all McGregor talk until the Irishman is healthy and physically able to train.
“I don’t even think about that type of stuff until it becomes a reality,” White said. “When Conor reaches out and says ‘I finished all my physical therapy, I’m in a good place, they told me I can train full time now,’ we’ll start thinking about what’s next.”
“I don’t know,” he later added. “I’m not even thinking about any of that stuff. It’s so long and so far away, it doesn’t matter.”
