Conor McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) hasn’t actively fought in the world of combat sports since the summer of 2021. That hasn’t kept “The Notorious” out of the headlines by any stretch of the imagination.
Since his last MMA fight four and a half years ago, McGregor has become a part owner of David Feldman’s BKFC, giving him the ability to make key decisions in the promotion and he’s also made appearances at BKFC events. A year ago, ahead of BKFC’s KnuckleMania V, he showed up during the ceremonial weigh-ins.
Conor McGregor has never lost the itch to fight inside the MMA cage, however. In July of 2021, he made his UFC return in the main event of the evening at UFC 264. That night, in a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier, McGregor sustained a broken ankle, rendering him unable to proceed in the fight after its opening round.
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Conor McGregor’s Planned 2024 UFC Return Scuttled Due to Injury
Following UFC 264, McGregor was out of action for close to three years. In the aftermath of the landmark UFC 300 inside T-Mobile Arena in Enterprise, NV, UFC CEO Dana White took to the podium for the UFC 300 post-fight press conference.
Late that Saturday night, the CEO announced that Conor McGregor would be making the walk on June 29, 2024 in UFC 303 for a main event contest versus Michael Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) to cap off 2024 International Fight Week. A few weeks prior to the big night, however, everything came undone.
At the beginning of June 2024, both Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler were due to take part in a press conference in the former’s home country of Ireland. Just hours before the presser was to have begun, it was canceled, but the fight itself was confirmed to be going forward. Ultimately the McGregor vs. Chandler contest never took place after Conor McGregor sustained a broken toe. To date, the bout has never been rescheduled.
Conor McGregor Eyeing White House Return
Over the Independence Day holiday weekend in July, McGregor expressed a desire to appear on the UFC White House card. At the time, July 4, 2026 was being thrown around as the date for the card on the UFC schedule, but since then, the date of the show has been locked in as Saturday, June 14 in celebration of United States President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
In the months after Conor McGregor’s initial hopes to appear on the show at The White House in Washington, DC haven’t died down in the least bit. With the event now almost five months away, he remains as steadfast as ever to be on the card.
His preferred choice of opponent could see him reignite a rivalry first set aflame in the squared circle of boxing nearly a decade ago. On Tuesday, Conor McGregor took to his social media channels to challenge pugilism legend Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) to a fight inside the fabled Octagon.
Fun times @danawhite, @ufc!@FloydMayweather, when you are ready for that promised MMA bout, I am here.
The White House is nice in the summer I heard. 🏦
Just kidding Mike!
Although 🤔… I could fight both the same night.
Floyd MMA? EASY. 10 seconds. pic.twitter.com/hVWl0oOxHo
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 6, 2026
“When you are ready for that promised MMA bout, I am here,” Conor McGregor told Mayweather in the social media post Tuesday afternoon. “The White House is nice in the summer, I heard.”
Looking Back on Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather in Boxing
Back in 2017, Conor McGregor squared off against Floyd Mayweather in the boxing ring for a highly–publicized main event at T-Mobile Arena on Showtime PPV. Advertised under the name “The Money Fight,” this contest was notable for being the latter’s one-night only return to competitive boxing after having retired from the sport three times previously.
The 2017 fight was Conor McGregor’s first and only foray into professional boxing. Even though McGregor landed decent punches to the head in the early going of the fight, forcing Mayweather to cover his crown, his luck didn’t hold up as the bout progressed to the later rounds.
In the 10th round of a scheduled 12, Floyd Mayweather uncorked a brutal onslaught of punches to stun Conor McGregor. Referee Robert Byrd waved off the contest a minute and five seconds into the period. This was the first time McGregor had been knocked out in combat sports.
Following the fight, Conor McGregor was interviewed by ESPN and offered up his perspective on what happened in the ring.
“I think I smoked him in the early rounds,” he said. “I was pretty handily whooping him in the early rounds and then he changed his style. He put his hands up and came down low, put his forehead on the chest and start getting to work. I wasn’t prepared, I didn’t anticipate that.”
Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather II: The Age Gap
If a UFC fight does, indeed happen between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather late this spring in Washington, there’s going to be quite a significant age gap between the combatants.
On June 14, McGregor will be a month shy of his 38th birthday, whereas Floyd Mayweather will have already turned 49, celebrating his birthday in February. This brings us to one last point:
Final Thoughts
Much like the previous contest between the two, this one will be another paper chase for both men, provided it actually takes place Mayweather has not fought under competitive rules in almost a decade and McGregor hasn’t fought in any capacity in nearly a half-decade.
With the laundry list of UFC championship fights being rumored for the White House card, at best, the McGregor vs. Mayweather rematch would, in all probability, be relegated to undercard status. Will this fight really happen?
It’s another wait-to-see.
