“I am losing hope,” said Dustin Poirier this week while speaking to talkSPORT. ‘The Diamond’ expressed his honest thoughts on whether his arch-nemesis Conor McGregor will ever return to the Octagon. As we head into February 2025, the lingering question for fight fans remains: will the Irishman be able to end his long hiatus? A leg injury sustained against the former interim champ at UFC 264 in 2021 sidelined the UFC megastar for over four years.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his return, it seems the cloud over Conor McGregor‘s comeback is beginning to clear. Recently, the Irishman broke his silence, but this time, his return isn’t related to the UFC. So, what’s going on? Is it a boxing match against Logan Paul? Not exactly. Instead, McGregor is setting his sights on the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).

During a pre-fight conference for Camozzi vs. Hunt in Florence at a recent BKFC event in Italy, Conor McGregor made a bold statement. “If you think I am up here, giving these speeches and leading these men into battle, and I won’t step in there myself, think again. For sure, Conor McGregor will fight in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, mark my words,” he said.

“I’d like a world title in this company. I would wish to be the Bare Knuckle World Champion. That’s a significant belt to hold in your career. You know, nobody from boxing to MMA can say anything bad about being a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship World Champion. So for sure, I would be coming in looking for the world title.”

The Irishman continued, “There are many bouts, showcase bouts, you could say: Mike Perry, you could say Henry Cejudo, you could say a match against Eddie Alvarez. You could say many matches, but the lightweight title, so’s the champion right now? Lightweight, welterweight… let’s see, I’m open.”

Could Conor McGregor actually become a champion in BKFC? The possibility gained momentum after company founder David Feldman revealed on the MMA Hour last year that McGregor had secured “needle-moving” equity in the $400M Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship last summer.

Since then, the speculation surrounding ‘The Notorious’s potential BKFC debut has continued, with UFC legend Michael Bisping backing the move, calling it “fair play.” However, Chael Sonnen has highlighted some significant roadblocks in McGregor’s path to BKFC. Let’s take a look at what Sonnen had to say.

Chael Sonnen points out major roadblocks for Conor McGregor in his potential BKFC return

“If there’s one person who knows how to keep himself relevant in the fight world without actually fighting, it’s Conor McGregor,” said Michael Bisping last month. Even though the Irishman has been away from the Octagon for a while, he always manages to make headlines—whether through his business ventures, controversies, or personal struggles—there’s always something pointing to his potential return. But despite the constant buzz, ‘The Notorious’ has yet to follow through on his promises to fans. Now, with whispers about his return to BKFC or even a boxing match, the major question remains: his UFC contract, which still holds two fights.

So, how can Dana White and the UFC let go of their biggest asset without maximizing his value first? On one side, Conor McGregor and BKFC President David Feldman are eager to bring him into the BKFC ring. However, as Chael Sonnen pointed out, “Because he’s under contract with the UFC, who has no interest in letting him go, and [BKFC President] David Feldman came out and spoke about this. Dave Feldman has a marketing relationship with Conor. Conor has brought a lot to those events—whether it’s showing up, jumping in the ring, whatever it might be,” he said.

“But he’s for sure brought something to those events. And Feldman was incredibly candid about it—perhaps more honest than any promoter has ever been. He said, ‘[UFC has] him. They would have to help us. They would have to be doing us a favor to release Conor to us. I don’t think they want to do us a favor.'”

What are your thoughts on Conor McGregor’s statement? Do you think Dana White will allow the Irishman to leave for another promotion? Do you believe McGregor will make his return to the Octagon?