3 ‘Notorious’ opponent options, including Max Holloway

Hopefully some news about Conor McGregor’s next fight should come out in the next few months. As the former two-division champion enters his third year on hiatus, we take a look at three likely contenders in the Irish superstar’s potential comeback.

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Who will Conor McGregor fight next?

UFC fans haven’t seen McGregor step into the Octagon since July 2021. Unfortunately, long-awaited plans for him to fight Michael Chandler were scrapped in September after the Bellator great refused to wait for the Irish star to finally set a return date.

If the Irishman is truly serious about returning to the Octagon, he has many potential options. However, the most likely opponents would be Jorge Masvidal, Justin Gaethje or Max Holloway.

• Gamebred: Masvidal is in a position where he is no longer relevant at the top of the welterweight division. But he’s still a big name in the sport. McGregor was in a similar position, so a fight between two popular stars of their time makes sense on both a business and stylistic level.
• Highlight: The former BMF champion is likely approaching the final years of his career. If he hopes to get one last big payday before hanging up his gloves, the fight with McGregor must happen and fans have been waiting for it for a long time.
• Blessed: Holloway and McGregor fought early in their UFC careers, and it’s surprising that a rematch never materialized after they became legends in their respective eras. With “The Blessed” missing the featherweight title against Ilya Topuria, his dance card is wide open for a money fight with “The Notorious.”

Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight canceled

Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler was a fight that fans around the world have been hoping to see for some time. The UFC liked the fight so much that they both appointed coaches for the season of The Ultimate Fighter. However, after more than a year of cancellations and rumors, the fight is officially off again.

Delays: Even though he was on TUF and promoted the fight, it took McGregor a very long time to get him to sign off on the official fight date. Eventually, after months of stalling and promoting a new film, the Irishman found himself embroiled in a major pay-per-view battle in July 2024. But an unexpected injury ruined these plans.

Pinky Sock: Fans were excited to finally see Conor McGregor back in the Octagon. There were even plans to hold a large press event in his native Ireland. However, the press conference was unexpectedly cancelled, and there was speculation that the fight might be cancelled. These rumors became reality, and the former featherweight king pulled out of the fight due to a broken little toe.

This was a shocking development because there are many stories of UFC greats competing in the Octagon with much more serious injuries.

Result: McGregor’s cancellation of the fight with Chandler was a huge disappointment to his legion of fans. It also fueled rumors that he might never return to the Octagon after losing three of his last four.

When was the last time McGregor fought?

Conor McGregor has been out of action for almost two and a half years. The former two-division champion last competed in July 2021, when he suffered his second straight loss to longtime rival Dustin Poirier. In battle, he suffered a broken leg, which required surgery shortly after the defeat.

What makes Conor McGregor so popular?

Unique Talent: McGregor has become a combat sports icon thanks to his uncanny ability to promote fights and his outstanding skills in the cage. This has helped him build a huge fan base that appears every time he competes. He may not be the best MMA fighter of all time, but he is certainly the most famous.

• Conor McGregor record: 22-6 (19 knockouts, 1 submission)
• Conor McGregor, age: 33 years old
• Conor McGregor’s height: 5 feet 8 inches
• Conor McGregor weight: During his career, the Irishman competed in the 145, 155 and 170 pound weight classes.
• Does Conor McGregor have a wife?: Dee Devlin has been married to McGregor since 2020 and is the mother of his two children.
• How many children does Conor McGregor have?: The UFC star has four children with his longtime partner Dee Devlin.
• Where does McGregor live?: It’s no surprise that the Irish native still calls the island home and hasn’t moved to the United States despite becoming a sports star in the country.
• In his first seven fights in the Octagon, McGregor was a 145-pound destructive machine. Scored knockouts in all but one of his featherweight bouts.
• Despite a shocking submission loss to Nate Diaz in 2016, McGregor reached his zenith in MMA a year and a half later, defeating lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez to become the first man to hold UFC titles in two divisions simultaneously.
• McGregor’s highlight in combat sports was his loss to Mayweather Jr. in boxing in 2017. The Irishman’s defeat was part of the second-most successful pay-per-view in combat sports history.
• After his arrival in boxing, McGregor lost three of his next four fights. Including the fight against Poirier and the massive collapse of Khabib Nurmagomedov in the lightweight division in 2018.
• The MMA superstar has also had his fair share of setbacks outside of the Octagon. From throwing a cart at a bus at Barclay’s Center to attempting to slap Machine Gun Kelly at the 2021 VMAs. McGregor can be a public relations nightmare at times.
• “Notorious” made his film debut in the remake of Patrick Swayze’s cult classic Road House.
• In just a few years, McGregor co-founded Irish whiskey brand Proper 12 and built it into one of the most recognizable adult beverage brands in the world using his elite self-promotion skills.
• “Notorious” will soon get the Netflix treatment as the streaming giant will release a documentary about his recovery and comeback from a broken leg in 2023.

How much did Conor McGregor earn for Road House?

McGregor was one of the stars of the Amazon Prime Video film Road House. In the film, the Irishman plays the antagonist Knox. The UFC star reportedly earned $5.5 million for his role in the film.

How much is Conor McGregor worth?

As the most famous cage fighter in MMA history, “The Notorious” has accumulated quite a bit of greenery throughout his career. However, he also skillfully used his money and fame to increase his value. This showed when he made millions selling an Irish whiskey brand, which he co-founded Proper 12.

In 2025, Conor McGregor’s current net worth is estimated to be almost $200 million.