Conor McGregor has expressed frustration over the delay in his UFC return, stating that he is growing impatient and feels he is being treated unfairly, while also challenging Manny Pacquiao to a boxing match.
Conor McGregor is itching for a UFC comeback. He’s tired of waiting. He was ringside at the Day of Reckoning boxing event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This event saw Anthony Joshua triumph over Otto Wallin and Joseph Parker surprise everyone by defeating Deontay Wilder.
After the matches, McGregor had a chat with TalkSPORT. When the conversation turned to his UFC return, he couldn’t contain his frustration. His comeback still doesn’t have a set date in 2024.
McGregor had a lot to say. “The Mac has plenty to give and plenty to prove,” he said, passionately. He mentioned the local chatter about Manny Pacquiao in boxing. But the UFC? They’re not saying anything. He wants something. Anything.
“I was meant to be back in April [2024]. Then it was December. They’ve never treated anyone this way,” McGregor complained. He pointed out his significant contribution to the game’s revenue. He sells more than all other fighters combined.
“No one in the fight game’s history has been treated like this,” McGregor continued. He feels he deserves better treatment considering his journey and contribution. He’s waiting. And his patience is wearing thin.
McGregor, now 35, has been linked to a UFC return bout against Michael Chandler. This comes after coaching against the American on The Ultimate Fighter 31 in early 2023. He expressed his frustration about his long layoff since his July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier.
His coach, John Kavanagh, told MMA Fighting that the UFC has delayed McGregor’s return again. They’re now targeting a bout in the “summertime.” McGregor re-entered the UFC’s drug-testing pool with USADA on Oct. 8. He’ll be eligible to compete again on April 8, 2024, according to USADA rules.
On Saturday, McGregor challenged Pacquiao for a boxing match. He even spoke to Saudi Arabia’s minister of entertainment Turki Alalshikh about the potential bout. He was seated next to soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo at the time.
McGregor had a message for Pacquiao. “Tell Manny to grow a set of balls and fight me at a higher weight class,” he said. He believes he should be allowed to use more of his weapons if he’s to fight at a smaller weight.
McGregor shared similar thoughts in another interview with heavyweight boxer Derek Chisora for iFL TV. Since his 2016 win over Eddie Alvarez, McGregor has only fought four times in MMA. He had a victory over Donald Cerrone, a title loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov, and two stoppage losses to Poirier.