In a statement made to the New York Post, Dana White had confessed, “Conor McGregor will fight next year, early 2025.” However, should the promotion try to change their plans and fast-track the Irishman’s return for December this year? At UFC 310, the final PPV of the year, Belal Muhammad was scheduled to defend his welterweight crown against Shavkat Rakhmonov as the main event of the night.

Muhammad’s unexpected bone infection has dashed hopes of a welterweight showdown, which would have been one of the card’s main attractions. Currently, it’s unknown whether the UFC and Dana White will find a different matchup for ‘Nomad’ on the same card or wait for Muhammad’s return to action. So why not replace it with a Conor McGregor main event? Here’s a look at why ‘The Notorious’s return to action at UFC 310 could be a viable move for the last UFC PPV of 2024!

UFC needs a big star for an American event and who is a bigger draw than Conor McGregor? 

The current lineup for UFC 310 offers fans some strong matchups, but there’s no mistaking the absence of a true marquee fight. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura for the flyweight title, Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov, and Aljamain Sterling against Movsar Evloev are exciting bouts but don’t have the universal appeal to make casual fans rush to buy the pay-per-view.

While the Belal Muhammad vs Shavkat Rakhmonov fight had the potential to elevate the card with another title fight, the lack of a truly captivating matchup for the casual viewer has put the event in a tough place. This is where Conor McGregor could step in and do what he does best!

Think about it, every time McGregor steps into the Octagon or is linked to a possible fight, the MMA sphere buzzes louder. His name alone brings media coverage, fan excitement, and record-breaking ticket sales. While his toe injury ruined the UFC 303 plans for a clash against Michael Chandler, if the promotion decides to tap him in for UFC 310, it would instantly elevate the card to a must-watch status.

The numbers also back up the claims. How? A quick glance at the UFC’s Top 10 PPV buys of all time paints a staggering picture. ‘The Notorious’s name dominates the list with only UFC 251: Usman vs Masvidal and UFC 100: Lesnar vs Mir II as PPVs that do not feature the Irishman. The record for the highest-selling PPV of all time? Well, that also belongs to Conor McGregor as his UFC 229 bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov set a record with 2,400,000 PPV buys for a total of $180 million.

McGregor himself has recently stated on X, “7 out of 10 highest ppv’s, NO! I have 8 of the highest! I outsold UFC 100! I have the documentation to prove it. By end of my contract I will hold the entire top 10.”

UFC 310 needs that kind of lift, especially for a card on American soil. Conor McGregor’s presence guarantees an electrifying atmosphere, one that reaches beyond hardcore MMA fans and attracts casual viewers who may only tune in to see him fight. However, that isn’t the only reason to make a case for him to fight at UFC 310.

Opponents like Dan Hooker and Dustin Poirier are looking for fights 

Who should Conor McGregor face at UFC 310 if Dana White and the UFC decide to pull the trigger on his comeback? Dan Hooker can be one of the names at the top of the list. ‘The Hangman’ recently made waves in the MMA Sphere when he was spotted exchanging words with Conor McGregor at a BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) event in Spain.

What did they talk about? Speaking to Submission Radio, Hooker confessed that talks of a fight between them were definitely in the conversation. The UFC lightweight revealed, “I’m on board. He’s on board. We just need to get the UFC on board and we’ll get this thing across the line”.  McGregor himself added more fuel to the fire when at the same event, he stated, “February 1st Saudi Arabia, Dan Hooker”

For Hooker, facing McGregor would be a career highlight, potentially a life-altering fight that could cement his legacy. And with UFC 310 in need of a main event, it may not be a bad move for the promotion to set up this fight for December instead of February.

Then there’s Dustin Poirier, a former opponent of McGregor’s with whom he shares a deep rivalry. ‘The Diamond’ took on Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 for the lightweight title but came up short as he lost via submission in the fifth round. This caused many to speculate it might be his last fight. But Poirier’s not done yet. In a recent appearance on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’, the Louisiana native shared, “I will fight again, It’s just how this thing unfolds — we’ll see when I do retire. It could be uno mas (one more), it could be dos mas (two more)”

With ‘The Diamond’ being the last man to face McGregor inside the Octagon in 2021, and the score between them sitting at 2-1 in favor of Poirier, a chance at redemption for ‘The Notorious’ at UFC 310 could come into play. Because a champion who has made a name for himself by being the UFC and Dana White’s knight in shining armor to save cards is also out of the list for possible main events!

No replacement for the Belal Muhammad fight lined up yet 

In a recent conversation with Jason Anik on ‘Remember The Show’, Belal Muhammad, the man who was supposed to headline UFC 310 shared, “I mean I don’t really care they want to make an interim title fight regardless coz they know who has the real belt….the only person really right now that makes sense would be Kamaru since Buckley and Garry are out and you said um, JDM’s injured, so there’s really nobody else out there.”

With no options in the welterweight division to fill the gap, many fans had pinned their hopes on Alex Pereira. ‘Poatan’ has already stepped into the Octagon 3 times in 2024, at UFC 300, UFC 303, and UFC 307 with two of those fights being short-notice call-ups by the UFC to help save the events. When the news of Muhammad’s withdrawal broke, Pereira sent a buzz in the MMA world with the cheeky response of a phone emoji on the update. 

However, in a recent report shared by MMA Fighting, it was revealed that the Brazilian champion has been ruled out for a December turn-around. With UFC 310 in need of a game-changer, Conor McGregor could singlehandedly transform it into an event for the ages. His return to the Octagon after an agonizing wait since 2021 would inject a surge of adrenaline into the event, pulling in fans and reigniting the excitement surrounding his comeback. But the question is, will Dana White and the UFC seize this moment to reawaken the McGregor magic for the final PPV of 2024? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!