Paramount+ has used Conor McGregor to promote their new broadcasting partnership with the UFC, fuelling speculation that the Irishman may soon return to the Octagon. The 37-year-old has not fought since July 2021, when he broke his leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier.
McGregor has expressed a strong desire to compete on the UFC’s touted White House card this summer. A backdated 18-month suspension for missed drug tests, accepted in October, will end on 20 March, clearing the way for his return.
Conor McGregor features prominently on a Times Square billboard in New York advertising the UFC’s shift from pay-per-view to a subscription model on Paramount+. He shared the image on social media, writing: “It will be my great honour to ‘MAKE UFC GREAT AGAIN!’ Only on @paramountplus.”
The former two-division champion was due to fight Michael Chandler in June 2024 but withdrew with a broken toe. He has claimed the bout is a “done deal” for the White House card, although the UFC has not confirmed it.
McGregor recently abandoned his bid to become president of Ireland, citing eligibility criteria as a “straitjacket”. He also faces legal issues; in November a civil jury found him liable for assault in a 2018 rape case. His appeal failed in July, but he continues to deny the allegations.
