Dana White reveals estimated timeline of Conor McGregor's post-UFC 329 injury hiatus after Zuffa Boxing 09

Conor McGregor had been away from professional combat sports competition for around five years. He'd last fought at UFC 264 way back in July of 2021, losing via TKO after suffering a horrific mid-fight injury to his left leg in his lightweight clash against Dustin Poirier. 

The Irishman traversed a long and arduous road to recovery from the injury that many believe would've permanently forced most other athletes into retirement. Regardless, McGregor managed to stage a comeback to the octagon at UFC 329 earlier this month, on July 11, to be specific. 

It was a rematch against ex-UFC featherweight champion and ex-BMF titlist Max Holloway, which headlined UFC 329 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the same venue where he sustained a broken left leg in his previous fight. 

Unfortunately, McGregor was afflicted by a mid-fight injury to his right leg this time around, which seemed to severely compromise his movement against Holloway. The fight ended in just 69 seconds due to an injury-induced TKO in favor of Holloway. 

UFC CEO and president Dana White has now made a notable assertion about the expected timeline for McGregor's return from the right-leg injury that incapacitated him. 

Conor McGregor could be out for a significant period of time, per UFC head honcho Dana White

Conor McGregor, a former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, has long been beheld as one of the biggest box office draws in the combat sports sphere and well beyond it.

The Dubliner has achieved tremendous success as an entrepreneur as well, with business ventures ranging from world-renowned beverage brands to part-ownership investments in prominent combat sports promotions such as the BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship). 

McGregor's fights, as such, have been known to draw in hordes of fans from around the world to watch him in person and millions upon millions tuning in to view them on-screen. 

UFC boss Dana White has now touched upon when the combat sports megastar could return to the octagon after the worrisome injury that recently pushed him to the sidelines again. 

White was in attendance at the Zuffa Boxing 09 event at the Infosys Theater in Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York. He and many other UFC and Zuffa Boxing crossover brass witnessed the July 26 boxing card headlined by Edgar Berlanga Jr., who waded through some trouble to rally and beat Steven Butler via seventh-round TKO. 

During the Zuffa Boxing 09 post-fight press conference, White was asked about Conor McGregor recently setting fight fans abuzz with his leg extension and exercise videos on social media. 

The training footage notwithstanding, White suggested that McGregor is unlikely to compete anytime soon. Revealing that "The Notorious" is probably out of action for a year, he stated: 

"I have no idea. Yeah. We had him on FaceTime tonight ringside. But, you know, Conor McGregor is out for a year." 

Watch Dana White discuss Conor McGregor's possible return timeline below (*comments at the 5:45-minute mark of the video): 

Conor McGregor and Max Holloway have underlined their interest in a UFC trilogy fight

Conor McGregor bested Max Holloway by way of unanimous decision, in spite of sustaining a left knee injury, in their featherweight matchup at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen back in August of 2013.

Their rematch, which was a welterweight clash that served as the UFC 329 card's main event a few weeks ago, saw Holloway level the score with his first-round TKO win. McGregor, however, later indicated that he'd like the rematch's verdict to be overturned to an NC (No Contest), given that they barely competed because he injured his right knee with an awkward landing on the very first strike he threw. 

Furthermore, both McGregor and Holloway made multiple statements after UFC 329, calling for their trilogy fight to be booked when "Mystic Mac" heals and is able to come back from his injury.