Once hailed as the UFC’s crown jewel, Conor McGregor now finds himself navigating murky waters of controversy and criticism. After his recent legal battle, the Irishman’s star seems dimmer than ever with multiple major business partners, choosing to sever their ties with his sprawling empire outside the Octagon.

But the fallout has extended beyond the courtroom. It’s reached the cage and the minds of fellow fighters like Belal Muhammad. The reigning welterweight champion, fresh off a UFC 310 appearance, faced McGregor’s ire on social media after a minor incident with event security. However, Muhammad’s response wasn’t just a rebuttal, it was a harsh reality check.

Belal Muhammad turns up the heat in a fiery response to Conor McGregor

On a recent appearance on the Fight Back Podcast episode no. 32 with former UFC star Jake Shields, the conversation between him and Belal Muhammad touched upon Conor McGregor’s recent antics. As mentioned above, the welterweight champion stepped into the cage at UFC 310 to face off against Shavkat Rakhmonov, the man poised to challenge him for the throne after beating Ian Garry.

And so, in his trademark fashion, McGregor fired off a voice note on social media against Muhammad where he stated, “The security doesn’t know he’s a champ. Look at the state…The security doesn’t know he’s the champ. Oh, no. I’m not surprised, motherf—–. Mate. He is an a—- that is. Shut your mouth, you little dope. You barely got into the ring.”

Muhammad’s response? On the podcast, he bluntly stated, “When you’re looking at him and how far he’s fallen off. You lost Proper 12. That was his baby. Right? Think about your future, how your kids are gonna look at you.” The champ wasn’t done as he further painted a vivid picture of a man desperate to reclaim relevance. Muhammad indicated, “He’s starting to feel like you have all the money in the world. Right? But he wants that stardom. He wants that. He’s losing it. Nobody’s starting to care about it.”

Despite the criticisms, there’s a sliver of hope among his detractors. Shields, despite years of animosity with McGregor, expressed a surprising sentiment. The podcast host shared, “…he still made Nate (Diaz) a lot of money, and I would like to see him get sober again and do better.”

But the question remains, can Conor McGregor rise from the ashes, or has his fall from grace gone too far? UFC CEO Dana White finally broke his silence on the UFC star’s future and revealed the timeline for his return to the sport that made him a global icon.

Dana White finally addresses McGregor’s future in the UFC

From civil courtroom dramas to an elusive UFC return, Conor McGregor’s narrative has taken a sharp turn. Over two weeks after losing a high-profile civil trial, UFC boss Dana White finally addressed the elephant in the room—but only briefly. What’s next for ‘The Notorious’? And how does his fall from grace impact his relationship with the UFC?

At the UFC 310 post-fight press conference, White’s response to McGregor’s trial was unusually reserved. When asked about the verdict, he gave a curt reply by stating, “What do you mean what’s my reaction? If I had a comment I would’ve put it out already.”

It was a non-answer that spoke volumes. But the UFC head honcho shifted the focus to McGregor’s return as he confessed, “He hasn’t been fighting here in I don’t know how long, if he does fight, it’ll be sometime next year.”

The harsh critiques from figures like Belal Muhammad paint a picture of a man desperate to reclaim his former glory. And Dana White’s muted response only adds to the mystery, suggesting a return might be possible—but it’s far from guaranteed at this point. So, will we see Conor McGregor return to the UFC to re-establish his stardom? Or has the damage been done already? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!