Conor McGregor will return to the UFC but right now talks are not ongoing to book his next fight.
That news comes courtesy of UFC president Dana White, who refuted reports that talks have already started for McGregor to return later this year for a showdown with new lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
While all signs point to that fight happening at some point this year, White says he hasn’t spoken to McGregor and won’t address his fighting future until after he settles his pending court case.
McGregor is facing three misdemeanor assault charges and a felony charge for criminal mischief after he went on a rampage through the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in April while smashing up a UFC bus and injuring two fighters as well as a UFC employee.
“I’m not even thinking about Conor,” White said at the UFC 226 post fight press conference. “I know they’re saying there’s talks. We’re not talking about a fight right now. Conor has to get through July. Whatever’s going to happen to him in July, we’ll figure that out. I don’t know what’s gonna happen — is he gonna get fined, is he going to be on probation, this that?
“When that’s over with, then we’ll start talking about him fighting.”
It’s highly unlikely that McGregor will face any kind of jail time for his actions back in April but his attorneys still have to work out a plea deal with the prosecutor’s office over his actions.
McGregor is due back in court on July 26 and assuming his plea deal is ironed out and accepted, then he can begin negotiations for his return to action.
McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC since November 2016 when he defeated Eddie Alvarez to become a two-division champion.
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