Conor McGregor has confirmed his long-awaited UFC return with an bold three-fight plan to tackle Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje and a trilogy bout with Nate Diaz.
McGregor should first spend six months within the United States’ anti-doping testing pool and return two unfavorable exams earlier than he’s eligible to struggle, having not competed since 2021 – until he’s granted a particular exemption.
“Chandler next, in December,” McGregor informed TalkSport of his plans, talking after Anthony Joshua’s win on the O2 Arena on Saturday night time. “And then Gaethje for the BMF showdown. And following that, we’ll seal the deal with the Nate Diaz trilogy.”
McGregor and Chandler have been filming the brand new season ofThe Ultimate Fighter forward of their very own conflict, which remains to be with no date, location and weight class.
Gaethje not too long ago avenged a 2018 loss to Dustin Poirier by knocking out his fellow American with a shocking head kick to win the ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ (BMF) title. Afterwards McGregor used social media to name out Gaethje, saying: “I’ll slap you around.”
Diaz, who submitted McGregor in March 2016 earlier than shedding to the Irishman on factors that August, left the UFC in September 2022 after submitting Tony Ferguson.
“I’ll get that again,” McGregor, 34, mentioned on The MMA Hour. “We’ll get that trilogy at some stage for sure. That’s when he was gone that he was [supposed to be] doing the show. So, you know what way that is, it’s all politics and all that.
“We must fight, we’re one a piece. It’s a great rivalry, and it was a great fight. So, we gotta square that away for sure. Am I a person not to get the fights made and done? Look at all the fights I’ve had. When I say it, it happens.
“I have a load of bouts left in me and a load of stories incomplete, and I’m excited to continue on and get them done.”