McGregor rages at UFC over return delays: ‘My patience is wearing thin’

Amidst reports that the UFC may be delaying McGregor’s return until July 2024, the Irish sports star has suggesting he’s talking to Saudi Arabia about a boxing bout.

• By
  
  Ryan Harkness
  
• on December 24, 2023 1:00 pm

Is there trouble in paradise between Conor McGregor and the UFC?

McGregor is the biggest star in mixed martial arts by far, and his return to action will be one of the biggest stories in all of sports. So why is the UFC dragging their feet on setting that up?

That’s something Conor McGregor himself would like to know. “The Notorious” was in Saudi Arabia for the big Day of Reckoning boxing card (check out highlights from that here), and he let loose some negative feelings towards the UFC regarding delays.

“The lads here are talking Manny [Pacquiao], the UFC aren’t talking any,” he said angrily. “Give me something! You know what I’m saying? I was supposed to be back in April, I was supposed to be back in April. It was supposed to be December.”

McGregor had pushed hard for a December 2023 return, but the UFC was unwilling to waive a six month USADA testing period for the Irish sports star. The six months are up by April, making McGregor available to fight on UFC 300 … but there have been reports that the UFC wants to slot him in July instead.

If that’s the case, McGregor has a right to be upset.

“They’ve never treated anyone, no one’s ever been treated [like this]. For all the figures I’ve brought in this game, I sell more than all of them combined, yeah? I sell more than every one of them combined. No one in the history of the fight game’s ever been treated the way I’m getting treated at this minute, yeah?”

“Through what I came through to what I bring, they f—ing should open floodgates for me, yeah?” he raged. “And I’m waiting. I’m waiting and I’m waiting. My patience is wearing thin on me waiting.”

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