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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
Conor McGregor intends to make his UFC return against Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas. Whether or not that actually happens still remains to be seen.
McGregor, 35, announced via social media on Sunday that the “greatest comeback of all time” will take place during the UFC’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas, however the UFC has not publicly commented on that proposal.
“I’d like to announce the return date for myself, ‘Notorious’ Conor McGregor,” McGregor said in a video on X. “The greatest comeback of all time will take place in Las Vegas, International Fight Week of June 29. The opponent, Michael Chandler — and the weight, Mr. Chandler, 185 pounds.”
Chandler, 37, told ESPN on Saturday he was unaware of any official date for the bout, but said, “Here we go, this is the fight I’ve been training for. Any weight — 155, 170, 185 pounds — is good with me.”
The proposal of 185 pounds by McGregor is an interesting one, as both McGregor and Chandler’s “natural” fight weight is considered 155 pounds. McGregor has won titles at 145 and 155 pounds, and has competed as high as 170 pounds. Chandler has also held a title at 155 pounds in another promotion, and all five of his UFC appearances have come at 155 pounds.
McGregor (22-6) and Chandler (23-8) coached against each other on The Ultimate Fighter reality series last year, however no official fight date has ever been set. In the meantime, McGregor has expressed interest in several other fights, ranging from a bareknuckle boxing match to a professional bout against retired fighter Manny Pacquiao.
McGregor was also involved in a public spat with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which served as the UFC’s anti-doping partner up until the end of this year. USADA claimed the partnership between itself and the UFC deteriorated because the UFC wanted to allow McGregor to fight without serving a mandatory six-month testing window after exiting its testing pool. UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell denied those accusations and demanded a public apology.
The UFC has since announced a new partnership with collection agency Drug Free Sport International moving forward.
McGregor, of Dublin, has not fought since he suffered a broken leg during a loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021.