Dana White issues final verdict on Conor McGregor return: ‘He’ll fight this summer’

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Conor McGregor has not fought inside the UFC Octagon since suffering a broken leg against Dustin Poirier during their trilogy fight back in 2021.

Since then, constant speculation surrounded the former two-weight champion, with rumours repeatedly emerging regarding possible comeback plans before eventually fading away again.

However, 2026 increasingly appears to be the year McGregor finally returns to action after Dana White delivered a strong update regarding the Irishman’s future last Thursday.

Dana White is clear: Conor McGregor will fight this summer

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Speaking during an appearance on Jim Rome’s show, White sounded extremely optimistic about finally securing McGregor’s long-awaited UFC comeback later this year.

“We’re in a great place with Conor. I’m extremely confident that Conor will fight this year. I’m extremely confident we’ll get him tied and ready to roll,” the 56-year-old businessman explained.

“He’s training, there’s footage out there. He’ll fight this summer. I thought it would happen last year, but I’m extremely confident it will happen this summer,” the UFC president continued.

White also stressed that positive discussions behind the scenes increased his confidence about ‘The Notorious’ finally ending his long absence from mixed martial arts competition.

He added: “He seems motivated, he’s training and there are a lot of great things going on behind the scenes that make me very confident that he will fight this summer.”

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