Conor McGregor believes he’s on the path to redemption.
It’s been over four years since the former two-division UFC champion has fought, with McGregor last seen inside the octagon losing a trilogy bout to Dustin Poirier after suffering a broken leg in their UFC 264 matchup. Since then, McGregor has remained in the headlines for various reasons ranging from the professional (McGregor spent much of 2024 promoting his starring role in the film Road House) to the political (earlier this year, McGregor touted himself as a presidential candidate in his native Ireland, but withdrew himself from consideration after his candidacy received little support) to the nefarious (McGregor was found liable for sexual assault in a civil suit this past November, stemming from a December 2018 incident in Dublin).
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It was also recently announced by Combat Sports Anti-Doping, the UFC’s official drug-testing partner, that McGregor is currently serving an 18-month suspension due to failing to notify the organization of his whereabouts on three separate occasions. Through it all, the 37-year-old BKFC part-owner has vowed to make a comeback and on Thursday, he spoke at a BKFC press conference in Italy about changes he’s made in his lifestyle.
“For sure, I am not here just by chance,” McGregor said. “There is a higher power, God, that dictates my journey and all of our journeys, and I live my life by God’s word. Since around that time that you mentioned at that last event, I’ve engaged in a spiritual journey, and I’m saved. I am healed. On the back of that, the world is in for a treat. My competitive spark that was once in my heart is now a roaring blaze, so I’m very excited.”
“I’m eager to get back and right now I have to dial myself in and go inward and that I’ve done. I’m very, very excited to come back my own self.”
McGregor did not say exactly what the changes are that he’s made to prepare himself to compete again, nor exactly what the exact problems are that have kept him from fighting. At one point, McGregor was slated to fight The Ultimate Fighter 31 coaching rival Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024, but McGregor withdrew from that fight with a broken toe.
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BKFC founder David Feldman also spoke at Thursday’s press conference, praising McGregor for the unspecified changes and touting McGregor’s potential UFC comeback.
“A lot of people in the world need to make changes in their life and they don’t because they don’t have the guts to, they don’t have the balls to, they don’t have the fortitude to, and I just want to take this time to take my hat off and commend Conor McGregor for making the kinds of changes he had to make,” Feldman said. “It’s not easy and you’re going to see the best Conor McGregor you’ve ever seen when he returns to the octagon.”
McGregor has recently been saying his plan is to return at the planned UFC White House event, which is expected to take place on June 14. UFC CEO Dana White shot down McGregor’s claim that he has already been booked for the historic card, though he acknowledged McGregor’s interest in fighting there.