“I’m happy with what I’ve done (in the UFC). There’s something else for me that’s in my gut right now. That’s kind of where I’m going. So we’ll see. Greatness doesn’t rush,” Conor McGregor said at the BKFC 70 post-fight press conference. ‘The Notorious’s name still echoes in the MMA sphere, but lately it’s become more of a whisper than a roar. Once the face of the sport, the Irishman’s return to action has become a source of much speculation and disappointment for the fans. A string of legal troubles, political ambitions, and work with ventures like the BKFC, Greenback Records, and more has seemingly left his UFC future in the shadows.

Yet, the question refuses to go away: Will Conor McGregor ever return to the Octagon? It’s a hot topic that splits opinions faster than one of McGregor’s legendary left straights. Some still see a phoenix waiting to rise. Others? Well, they aren’t too sure about the resurrection of his fighting career. So, what do the top voices in the MMA world believe?

1. Dana White: Not sure

When even the UFC boss sounds unsure, you know things aren’t looking great. Dana White, the man who built the promotion from the ground up, used to hype up Conor McGregor at every opportunity. But recently, White has seemingly changed his tune.

McGregor’s last planned return, a main event bout at UFC 303 against Michael Chandler, fizzled after the Irishman suffered a broken toe in sparring. Since then? Silence and pictures of ‘The Notorious’ living the high life on social media. Chandler has fought twice after growing tired of waiting for McGregor. After the disheartening loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314, the American star is reportedly pondering retirement. That is, unless McGregor returns to uphold the TUF tradition and faces his TUF 31 rival coach.

In the past, Dana White had assured the MMA world that 2025 summer would be the long-awaited return of McGregor. But after UFC Saudi Arabia earlier this year, when pressed for more details, the UFC head honcho bluntly stated with a sigh, “Conor? I’m not sure when Conor will be back.”

No dates. No headlines. No hints. If Dana White has lost his enthusiasm, maybe the magic’s truly fading.

 2. Joe Rogan: Doesn’t believe

Joe Rogan has laid out his verdict for ‘The Notorious’s return, and all signs point to a disappointing outlook for his fans. Conor McGregor hasn’t competed since 2021, after breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier. While there were hopes for a clash against Michael Chandler, even those dreams failed to materialize.

During the JRE MMA Show #166 (Joe Rogan Experience), the UFC color commentator held nothing back. The Irishman had his chance. He had time to heal. He had opportunities to fight. But the comeback never came.

Rogan stated, “If I had to bet, no. No, I don’t think he comes back, because he hasn’t come back yet, and he could have. If he really wanted to, he would have been back in the gym, had a fight scheduled, drug tested, clean, training, gone through a camp, and had a fight.”

What’s holding him back? According to Rogan, wealth, distractions, and a jet-set lifestyle. The McGregor he once admired has been replaced by someone who, he fears, might only return too late. He further confessed, “What’s really sad is if he comes back when he’s like 39 or 40 and his body just doesn’t have it anymore.”

3. Islam Makhachev: No chance!

Islam Makhachev doesn’t even entertain the idea. When asked about McGregor’s return last September, the lightweight champion laughed at the notion. In his interview with ‘MatchTV’, he fired off with, “[Conor’s return] is already a fantasy. He tries to stay afloat with his language. He is more in clubs than in training.

For the Dagestani champion, Conor McGregor’s career is already over, he just hasn’t accepted it yet. And frankly, there’s no love lost between them.

Ever since McGregor’s infamous brawl with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev and Team Khabib have wanted nothing to do with the Irishman. Except to respond to ‘The Notorious’s salvos at the Dagestani camp.  And now? Islam Makhachev believes all that trash talk is just noise from a man trying to stay relevant.

4. Ilia Topuria: Very optimistic!

Ilia Topuria might be undefeated now, but even he knows legends don’t last forever. The former featherweight champion joined Joe Rogan during the JRE MMA Show #166, where he confessed, “I really think that he’s going to come back at some point, but we’ll see.” The hesitation was telling despite the optimism.

‘La Leyenda’ didn’t sugarcoat it when he talked about McGregor’s physical condition either. He bluntly stated, “His body is f—-, his toe is f—-, his chin is f—–, his body is f—-. With that much parties and d—- and all that, you’re going to have to pay that price at some point, and you are paying the price with your health, which is the dumbest thing you can do in your entire life.”

Still, Topuria admitted the UFC briefly floated the idea of a McGregor fight if he beats Islam Makhachev. But he shrugged it off with a laugh, leaving the fans with a tough pill to swallow.

5. Sean O’Malley: Pretty positive

Among the hopefuls, Sean O’Malley might have been the loudest believer. Long before UFC 303 was canceled, the former bantamweight champ. In an interview with UFC.com, he reaffirmed his belief in the former ‘champ-champ’ to show the fans “the greatest comeback in sports history”.

But even ‘Sugar’ had to consider the elephant in the room, McGregor’s lifestyle. He confessed, “You’re not going to be as good as you were if you were training and grinding for years, and you’re living on a yacht and doing these things.”

He ended his statement by revealing, “If he’s [for] three months dialed in and laser-focused on the task at hand, I think he’ll show up and put on a performance.”

It’s not hard to understand why O’Malley would be optimistic about McGregor’s return. After all, he’s modeled parts of his own rise after the Irishman. But with the cancellation of UFC 303 and no news about the future, it seems Sean O’Malley may need to hold on to his faith for a bit longer!

In the end, some think he’s retired in all but name. Others still cling to the idea that the old fire could return with the right training camp. But what’s certain is this: if Conor McGregor does come back, it won’t just be a fight. It’ll be a spectacle to rival even the biggest combat sports matchups of all time.

But now the question turns to you, do you believe in one last comeback? Or is this the end of ‘The Notorious’ saga in the world of MMA? Let us know in the comments below!