To say that Conor McGregor is in a world of trouble, would be an understatement. “It took its toll on him”, is what Brendan Schaub observed about McGregor during his appearance at the Dublin High Court. Currently, his return to fighting seems uncertain, but ardent fans of the Irish superstar want to see him move past this major hurdle and return to form as a competing athlete inside the Octagon. But how can he do so? Well, former UFC welterweight Matt Brown seems to have a way for ‘The Notorious’.

During a recent conversation with The Fighter vs. The Writer, Brown reflected on the troubles of the ‘Mystic Mac’. While uncertainty and worry cloud the Irishman, ‘The Immortal’ has some advice for McGregor. Through all his current woes, Matt Brown thinks that ‘The Notorious’ can still turn his life around, stating, “Conor is going to be in a s–t storm here… I don’t think this is unsalvageable, but he has to be the one to salvage it.” Neither Dana White nor the UFC can pull McGregor out of this sticky situation, according to the UFC veteran. According to Brown, the onus is on no one else but the Irishman to find his way out of this troubling situation.  

“No one’s going to be the one to save him in this situation. The UFC can’t save him. He has to do the right things. Get the f–k out of the clubs. Put down the straws and get back in the gym. Maybe fighting isn’t what he wants to do anymore so maybe that’s not the right path, but I think it’s salvageable.”, Brown continued.

Brown concluded that Conor McGregor needs to win the goodwill of people to distance himself from the nasty allegations leveled at him, the consequences of which have been felt on his business ventures and future in fighting. Even if McGregor clears his name in the civil suit, the aspect of infidelity still lingers on the Irishman, which has been a talking point in several past instances. The Irishman needs to learn from his mistakes and vow to never find himself in such precarious situations again. “People want people to be good people. We want Conor to do that, but he has to be the one to do it, though.”, ‘The Immortal’ said.

It seems like the outcome of the civil suit has the Irishman reflecting on his behavior. Taking to social media, the former UFC double champion announced, “People want to hear from me, I needed time. I know I made mistakes. Six years ago, I should have never responded to her outreaches. I should have shut the party down. I should never have stepped out on the woman I love the most in the world. That’s all on me… I am beyond grateful to my family, friends, and supporters all over the world who have stayed by my side. That’s it. No more. Getting back to the gym- the fight game awaits!”

Conor McGregor has pledged to do right by his fiance by staying loyal to her. He has also pledged to do right by fight fans and get back to training, to do the thing that propelled him to superstardom in the first place, i.e., fighting. But will he actually be able to make a successful return to the Octagon after this debacle? Matt Brown doesn’t think so.

Why doesn’t Matt Brown believe Conor McGregor will fight again?

In a past exclusive interview with EssentiallySports’ Andrew Whitelaw, ‘The Immortal’ revealed that the ‘Mystic Mac’ doesn’t have any reason to fight again. He said, “I don’t think Conor’s gonna fight again, to be honest. Everybody forgets he told us he’s not gonna fight. He told us he was coming in, getting money, and getting out. That’s literally the words that he said. So I think he likes being in the news. I think he likes being relevant.”

On the other hand, UFC veteran and podcaster Brendan Schaub thinks McGregor can make his much-awaited return with UFC touting him as a ‘bad boy’ while suggesting that the might of Netflix could get behind it. “If he comes back right and then, let’s say, they land on Netflix, [it’s something] that they can spin it as like he was never criminally charged you know, or guilty.”, said ‘Bapa’ on his ‘Extra Thiccc’ podcast.

Whatever the world might think, McGregor declared that he was on the road to a comeback. Right after the jury found him liable in the civil case, he took to social media and shared a picture from his training. And the caption read, “Last camp.. Next camp.” Dana White previously stated that McGregor would make his return sometime in late 2025. That will provide ample time for ‘Mystic Mac’ to set his affairs in order and make a comeback of the century.

Conor McGregor’s arc has gone from being a celebrated athlete showcasing grit and resilience to one of constantly finding himself amid controversies. That arc isn’t complete yet, as the story of his redemption is yet to be written. Will it play out that way, or will ‘The Notorious’ crash and burn because of this latest misstep? Let us know what you think in the comments below.