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Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) walks out for a ightweight title fight against Renato Moicano (not pictured) during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) walks out for a ightweight title fight against Renato Moicano (not pictured) during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Conor McGregor hasn’t fought inside the octagon since July 2021. That’s over four years of inactivity for the sport’s biggest star. The Irishman broke his leg against Dustin Poirier in that bout and his recovery and rehabilitation took longer than anyone expected initially. McGregor was scheduled to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303 last year. But another injury forced him to pull out of that fight too.
Now McGregor keeps teasing a return on social media constantly. He recently expressed interest in fighting at the massive UFC White House event. It would be a historic occasion for mixed martial arts in America and McGregor believes he should be part of that spectacle. But not everyone shares his optimism about making a comeback, Islam Makhachev being one of them.
Islam Makhachev Gives His Take On Conor McGregor’s Return
Makhachev spoke with Complex recently about several topics including McGregor’s future. The lightweight champion didn’t mince words about the ‘Notorious’. He flat out stated that McGregor (22-6) will never fight again. His reasoning goes back to the infamous Khabib Nurmagomedov rivalry from 2018.
“No, this guy is never coming back. Khabib broke his mind, you know.”
That’s a pretty damning assessment from someone who trains with Nurmagomedov daily. The Dagestani believes his mentor and teammate did permanent psychological damage to McGregor. The 2018 fight ended with Khabib submitting McGregor in the fourth round. Then an absolutely wild brawl broke out between both teams afterward.
That rivalry represented one of the biggest moments in UFC history. The buildup featured intense trash talk and personal attacks from both sides. McGregor crossed several lines during the promotional tour leading up. He attacked a bus carrying Khabib and other fighters in Brooklyn. The disrespect reached levels rarely seen in professional sports.But Khabib Nurmagomedov dominated the actual fight when it finally happened though. He controlled McGregor on the ground for most of the bout. The tap out submission ended McGregor’s aura of invincibility.
Makhachev also referenced McGregor’s recent problems with the UFC anti-doping program. The Irishman received an eighteen-month suspension from Combat Sports Anti-Doping. He failed to properly disclose his whereabouts during mandatory testing periods. That suspension creates another obstacle to any potential comeback plans.
“I told this like two years ago, and I still think he’s not going to fight. And now he has disqualification from the anti-doping commission, I heard, and that’s why I think no. Maybe Jon Jones will come back to fight at the White House, but no Conor.”
The champion’s confidence in his prediction seems unshakeable at this point. He even suggested Jon Jones has a better chance of returning than McGregor does. And that says a lot!
McGregor still has two fights remaining on his UFC contract technically. He keeps posting training videos showing himself in great shape. But actions speak louder than social media posts at this stage. Until McGregor actually signs a bout agreement and shows up, skepticism remains completely justified.
I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!
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