Dana White Says Conor McGregor Will Fight This Summer
Dana White says Conor McGregor will fight this summer, a sharp timetable change for a former two-division titleholder who has not fought in the Octagon since UFC 264. White said he is “extremely confident” McGregor will fight this year, adding that the UFC is in a great place with him.
White Sets McGregor Timeline
White made the comments during an interview with Jim Rome, where he laid out the clearest return window yet. “We’re in a great place with Conor,” he said, before adding, “I’m extremely confident that Conor will fight this year.”
He pushed that further with another line that left little room for interpretation: “I’m extremely confident that we’ll get him dialed in and ready to roll.” White then said, “He’s training - there’s footage out there of him training right now…He’ll fight this summer.”
McGregor’s Long Layoff
The timeline matters because McGregor has been out since breaking his ankle during the first round of a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. That bout followed his loss to Poirier in their second meeting earlier that year at UFC 257, leaving him on a two-fight skid.
Before that stretch, McGregor’s last win came at UFC 246, when he stopped Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds. He later was submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov, a result that still sits in the background of any return talk because it marks the last time he looked fully established at the top end of the division picture.
UFC Return Window
McGregor is nearing his 38th birthday, and White’s comments now line him up for a summer return rather than a vague comeback date. Ariel Helwani said a fight announcement for McGregor should be coming in the very near future, which adds another layer of urgency around the UFC’s plans.
For McGregor, the practical takeaway is simple: the return conversation has moved from speculation to timing. If the UFC sticks to White’s timeline, the next step is an announcement tied to a summer fight slot, and the long layoff that began at UFC 264 finally gives way to an actual date to prepare for.
