Conor McGregor keeps hinting at an Octagon return, but the consensus among experts is that the comeback may never happen. After more than four years without a fight, the former double UFC champion seems more focused on maintaining relevance than competing.
Daniel Cormier didn’t mince his words, telling Club Shay Shay:
“It’s over for him. … He wants to stay in the news. He wants the notoriety of being Conor McGregor without having to be Conor McGregor.”
Cormier pointed out McGregor’s wealth as a decisive factor — from the $100 million Floyd Mayweather boxing purse to the $500 million sale of his whiskey brand. In his view, once a fighter reaches that level of financial security, the hunger that drives performance disappears.
UFC Still Values His Star Power
Despite skepticism, UFC boss Dana White insists McGregor is still the company’s biggest box office draw. At 37, he’d remain the preferred headliner over Jon Jones if the mooted UFC “White House” card in 2026 really happens. That’s why McGregor has reentered the promotion’s drug testing pool, creating just enough intrigue to keep fans talking.
Branding Over Brawling
What seems clearer is McGregor’s strategy: remain in the spotlight. Stirring speculation with tweets, teases, and political stunts is a cost-effective way to keep the Notorious brand as visible as ever without risking another injury in the cage.
For now, fans are left between doubt and hope. As Cormier summed it up: McGregor once drew unprecedented attention to the UFC by selling fights better than anyone — but those days, he argues, are in the past.
