UFC CEO Dana White has finally given details about the reason behind Conor McGregor’s extended inactivity. According to the executive, there are two reasons why the company still hasn’t booked the fighter’s comeback fight: his injury and his readiness.
McGregor still has no fight booked under his UFC profile despite making several announcements and teases in the past months, including his claimed June fights against Michael Chandler and a participation at UFC 300. The promotion dismissed the claims, with the Irish superstar expressing frustration about this delay in his past statements.
UFC was initially stingy about the details involving the matter, but White finally spoke out. For the executive, the first reason preventing the fighter’s return is his injury.
“First of all, he’s coming back from one of the nastiest injuries you can come back from,” White told Kevin Iole in an interview. “How long was Anderson Silva out when he did it? How long was Chris Weidman out? The guys who break that bone…so that’s an issue right there, number one.”
In line with this, White wants to see whether “The Notorious” is indeed ready to enter the cage by being in a full camp. To recall, the fighter has the film Road House coming out, and while White didn’t directly say it, he suggested that McGregor’s priorities might not be the MMA at this time. In the end, White pointed out that McGregor is the only one who could answer when he could make the comeback.
“Number two is Conor McGregor doesn’t need the f***ing money,” White continued. “So when you don’t need the money…Khabib doesn’t need the money; Khabib retired…
“Only Conor knows that. These are questions for Conor McGregor, not me. I know he’s training, but I don’t know what level of training he’s doing. I don’t know what level of kicking he’s doing right now. I don’t know any of that stuff. I need to know the guy’s in a full camp, (that) he’s ready to go. Conor McGregor has a movie coming out; he’s got businesses that he’s built. It’s a completely different dynamic when you’re dealing with a guy that has this kind of money.”
