According to recent reports, Conor McGregor was supposed to meet with the UFC on Monday.
‘The Notorious’ has not fought since 2021, when he broke his ankle against Dustin Poirier.
Many were expecting the Irishman to make his return at the UFC White House event on June 14. However, he was left off the card when Dana White announced it over the weekend.
Despite missing out on that historic event, McGregor is still in talks with the promotion about making his comeback.
Conor McGregor was open to Carlos Prates clash
Leading up to the June 14 card announcement, McGregor said he had agreed to fight an unheralded opponent.
Talk then grew around a possible match-up with Carlos Prates, despite the Brazilian fan favourite being a dangerous option.
Speaking after UFC 326, Dana White poured cold water on those rumours, saying that a McGregor return was “not even close”.
Ariel Helwani reported that while the ‘The Notorious’ had been open to facing Prates, the organisation decided to take things in another direction.
“They did talk about Carlos Prates, that is true,” Helwani said on The Ariel Helwani Show.
“And my understanding is, (Conor) said, ‘Sure, let’s go’. Then they went in a different direction.”
Prates is now set to face Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC Perth, while McGregor is still in contract talks with the promotion.
The Irishman recently said that he understands why he was left off the historic card. There was no gate for the White House event, and as a result they would not have been able to capitalise on his return financially.
Conor McGregor could face tough negotiations with the UFC
Fans are still hopeful that the 37-year-old will step back into the Octagon this year, but nothing is set in stone just yet.
The path to his return is not exactly clear, especially in light of recent developments involving Jon Jones.
According to reports, Jones was offered about $15 million to fight Alex Pereira at the UFC White House event, well below the $30 million he refused to fight Tom Aspinall.
Given McGregor’s status as the sport’s biggest draw, it is unclear what kind of offer he will receive and whether it will meet his expectations.
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