Conor McGregor‘s ultimate return to the Octagon was sabotaged by his injury, leaving the fate of UFC 303 in the doldrums. Although the UFC CEO came through and saved the card, the buzz of the MMA town tells us that the fans are eager for a confirmed date to catch the double-champ back in action. And now the answer to this question- When will ‘The Notorious’ grace the octagon again, has been answered by McGregor himself.

As much as the fans rallied behind McGregor, the reason behind his sudden retreat, which was shrouded in ambiguity until recently, was a bit absurd for them. But in a recent appearance at an event hosted by UFC’s so-called biggest competitor, Bellator, ‘Mystic Mac’ he clarified his stance. Here’s everything we know!

Conor McGregor is optimistic about his ultimate return

Conor McGregor was recently in the audience at the Bellator Dublin event and seems like Bellator didn’t leave the opportunity to ask the former dual-weight champion the ultimate question about his return. When McGregor was asked about his return, he emphasized that he would be returning soon. “You know I’m still here. I’m not going to wait. I had a little lapse of concentration. I had to reschedule the bouts, and I’m a little upset about it. It’s keeping me dialed in,” said McGregor.

He further added, “It’s keeping me focused, you know. I can rock around like I’m showing up. The job is not done. That’s not bad for me, for someone like me, you know. A new date, and you know I will take my lessons. A lapse in concentration. I have no footwork, and if I don’t rely on their skills, then I would be okay. Now I’m dialing it in. I’m walking in there 100%.”

Conor McGregor is currently going through a recovery process as confirmed by him and his team. His comeback is yet to be announced by either the UFC or himself. Regardless, Dana White in his recent escapade seems to have responded about McGregor’s status. Now if it was disappointment or transparency on his part, is for you to decide. Let’s take a look at what the UFC supremo said about McGregor’s return.

Dana White’s final verdict on McGregor’s return

When will Conor McGregor return? This question has been on everyone’s lips right now as the MMA community wants their answers. Dana White seems to have answered these questions at the UFC Saudi Arabia press conference. Before talking about McGregor’s comeback, White made it clear that the promotion has plans till December and has already made arrangements for them so there is hardly any discussion for Chandler vs. McGregor.

“I don’t know right now, yeah. Our schedule’s laid out so we’ll see. I’m not doing anything until I know that Conor’s healthy. It’s not even worth talking about until, you know, ‘What about September? What about October?’ He’s not ready. So, why even talk about that,” said Dana White.

Daba White believes that it’s kind of inappropriate for him to give a timeline for his return as he himself is not aware of his recovery. Regardless, McGregor will be turning 36 this July. It is notable because with age, bouncing back with peak agility at a physically taxing sport such as MMA only seems further away. And as many have speculated before, McGregor might just succumb to the same fate as Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman, who never quite recovered back to their prime after breaking their legs inside the cage.

What’s your take on the situation? State your thoughts in the comments below.