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Conor McGregor confirms UFC future and ideal next opponent

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Conor McGregor has vowed to return to the Octagon next year, hoping to fight twice in 2025.

In February 2023, it was announced that McGregor would next face Michael Chandler, however, no date for the fight was confirmed as of April. After UFC 300, boss Dana White said McGregor would face Chandler in June.

However, McGregor suffered a broken toe, which caused the fight to be postponed indefinitely. Then, last weekend, Chandler announced that he would face Charles Oliveira in November. That fight is a rematch of Oliveira's 2021 win over the American, which came by technical knockout.

McGregor expressed his frustration with the situation but insists he will fight next year.

“It will be 2025,” he told DAZN at Wembley Stadium as he watched Anthony Joshua's surprise loss to Daniel Dubois. “We'll see. My opponent, who I had scheduled… it is what it is. I accept it and keep rocking. My job is to get in the gym and be in shape, whenever and wherever. I'll be 100 percent ready.”

“I have to get two fights in 2025. It's the promised land. Who knows (who the next opponent will be). It doesn't matter. Whoever it is, we'll see. I'd love to have Chandler. I wish him all the best and see where it goes.”

McGregor, 36, last fought in 2021, suffering a broken leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier. Six months earlier, McGregor lost to Poirier by knockout.

Chandler, 38, was also inactive while waiting for McGregor; the American last fought in November 2022 and lost to Poirier by submission.

McGregor explained his frustration with this week’s developments: “I’ve been tested more than twice than these other [UFC] Athlete, but I have trouble getting a date.”

McGregor said he even asked Turki Al-Sheikh, the Saudi adviser behind the Gulf state's boxing efforts, for help.

Saudi Arabia recently began hosting and financing MMA events, including UFC 306 in Las Vegas earlier this month.

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