Conor McGregor has not fought inside the UFC Octagon since suffering a broken leg against Dustin Poirier during their trilogy fight back in 2021.
Since then, constant speculation surrounded the former two-weight champion, with rumours repeatedly emerging regarding possible comeback plans before eventually fading away again.
However, 2026 increasingly appears to be the year McGregor finally returns to action after Dana White delivered a strong update regarding the Irishman’s future last Thursday.
Dana White is clear: Conor McGregor will fight this summer
Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Speaking during an appearance on Jim Rome’s show, White sounded extremely optimistic about finally securing McGregor’s long-awaited UFC comeback later this year.
“We’re in a great place with Conor. I’m extremely confident that Conor will fight this year. I’m extremely confident we’ll get him tied and ready to roll,” the 56-year-old businessman explained.
“He’s training, there’s footage out there. He’ll fight this summer. I thought it would happen last year, but I’m extremely confident it will happen this summer,” the UFC president continued.
White also stressed that positive discussions behind the scenes increased his confidence about ‘The Notorious’ finally ending his long absence from mixed martial arts competition.
He added: “He seems motivated, he’s training and there are a lot of great things going on behind the scenes that make me very confident that he will fight this summer.”
Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira linked to Conor McGregor’s return
Several major names are already being discussed as potential opponents for McGregor’s expected return later this year inside the UFC.
A rematch against Max Holloway currently appears among the strongest possibilities as the former featherweight champion still has no fight scheduled for the second half of the year.
The pair originally fought in 2013 before both stars transformed into global UFC icons across different weight divisions during the following decade.
Charles Oliveira also remains another realistic option after publicly pushing for a lightweight title opportunity while refusing to completely dismiss a lucrative showdown against “The Notorious”.
An unprecedented UFC event is set to be held in June.
After months of planning, UFC's Freedom 250 event will be held on the South Lawn of the White House, bringing a unique spectacle to the U.S. capital in honor of the country's 250th anniversary in 2026.
First announced in July 2025, plenty of planning from President Donald Trump, UFC CEO Dana White and others has culminated in an event that is expected to have a smaller crowd for security purposes, but will have a headliner lightweight fight between undisputed champion Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje.
Here's everything to know about the UFC event at the White House.
The UFC's event at the White House is scheduled for June 14, 2026.
While initial reports indicated the event was being targeted for July 4, logistical reasons later moved it up to June 14, when UFC fighters will go head-to-head on the White House's South Lawn.
What time will UFC White House start?
UFC Freedom 250 is scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET start on June 14.
Prelims are scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, while the main card will begin at 8 p.m. ET, according to UFC.
UFC White House card
Here's a full look at the scheduled fights for UFC Freedom 250.
Lightweight title bout: Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje
Favorite (per UFC): Topuria (-800)
The headliner at the White House will be a lightweight title matchup between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.
Topuria remains unbeaten, a perfect 17-0-0, and is aiming to defend the lightweight belt after defeating Charles Oliveira in the summer of 2025 for the vacant 155-pound title. Gaethje is 27-5-0, and earned his title shot after defeating Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title. The American is 0-for-2 in previous shots at the undisputed 155-pound crown, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira.
Heavyweight interim title bout: Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane
Favorite (per UFC): Even
In a matchup that carries even odds, per UFC, Brazil's Alex Pereira is set to take on France's Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight interim title.
Pereira has gone 13-3-0 in his career and is moving up to his third weight class in the UFC. He previously held the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight belts, recently vacating the 205 division. Gane is 13-2-0 (1 NC), with those two losses previously coming in title fights. The former interim heavyweight champion lost to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones for the undisputed title, but has a chance to achieve interim status again.
The winner of the heavyweight interim title fight is expected to face Tom Aspinall, the current undisputed champion. Aspinall drew a no-contest against Gane in October of 2025 due to eye pokes from the Frenchman.
Bantamweight bout: Sean O'Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi
Favorite (per UFC): O'Malley (-360)
In the event's bantamweight bout, Sean O'Malley will take on Canada's Aiemann Zahabi.
O'Malley owns a 19-3 (1 NC) career record and is a former bantamweight title holder. The American striker is coming off a win over Song Yadong in January. Zahabi stands at 14-2-0, riding a seven-fight win streak.
Heavyweight bout: Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis
Favorite (per UFC): Hokit (-310)
In a heavyweight bout, the 6-1 and 234-pound Josh Hokit will face the 6-3 and 263-pound Derrick Lewis.
Hokit will be coming in unbeaten at 9-0-0, fresh off his biggest win yet against former heavyweight title challenger Curtis Blaydes. Lewis is the UFC's all-time knockout king with 16 KOs to his name. In total, he holds a record of 29-13-0 (1 NC).
Lightweight bout: Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler
Favorite (per UFC): Ruffy (-600)
For a lightweight bout, Brazilian star Mauricio Ruffy will take on Michael Chandler.
Ruffy enters at 13-2-0, while Chanlder is 23-10-0.
Middleweight bout: Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus
Favorite (per UFC): Nickal (-300)
Bo Nickal, the owner of an 8-1-0 record, will take on Kyle Daukaus, who has gone 17-4-0 (1 NC) in his career.
The two will meet in a middleweight bout, with Nickal standing at 6-1 and Daukaus at 6-3.
Featherweight bout: Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia
Favorite (per UFC): Lopes (-185)
One of seven scheduled fights at the White House will be a featherweight matchup between Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia.
Lopes, who is from Brazil, carries a 27-8-0 career record and stands at 5-11, while Garcia has gone 19-5-0 and stands at 6-foot.
UFC Freedom 250 ticket prices
Ticketing for UFC Freedom 250 won't look like a typical event. There will be no general admission for the White House fights on the South Lawn, which are expected to be virtually invite-only, but there are ways created to watch from a nearby area for free.
White said in September 2025 that the seating capacity at UFC Freedom 250 would be limited due to security concerns, despite Trump previously estimating between 20,000 to 25,000 attendees. In February 2026, TKO Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel then said that there would be around 3,000 to 4,000 people in attendance.
In May, White said that the capacity for UFC Freedom 250 is expected to be 4,300 and "most of them will be military" invitees. The BBC also reported on May 7 that the remaining tickets to watch at the White House will be made up by "high rollers" who will have to pay around $1.5 million to watch the show as part of a luxury package.
However, White also shared details about plans to allow fans to watch for free from large screens at a nearby park to the White House, the Ellipse. White said that UFC will be giving away 85,000 tickets to watch at the Ellipse and people will have to register for the tickets. According to the UFC and Ticketmaster website, the window to request tickets lasted from Apr. 21-26.
"There's a park that's right there," White said, per ESPN. "We're gonna be ticketing 85,000 people in the Ellipse and the tickets are free. We'll announce how we're gonna be giving them away soon, but you should plan on going to Washington, D.C., for this event."
Additionally, the Ellipse is expected to host a "fan fest" the day before the event, which will be headlined by the Zac Brown Band and will feature the ceremonial weigh-ins, meet and greets, on-stage entertainment, interactive experiences, and appearances from UFC athletes and other celebrities
The UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on Saturday, June 13. Then, on Sunday, the Ellipse will include a live watch party of the fights being held on the South Lawn of the White House nearby.
Full details haven't been announced, but in a February 2026 interview, TKO Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel also said the event would be simulcast on CBS and Paramount+, per ESPN.
Why is there a UFC fight at the White House?
The UFC fight at the White House is part of the America 250 celebrations from President Donald Trump.
In honor of the United States' 250th birthday this summer, Trump announced in July 2025 that the UFC would hold an event on the White House grounds.
When is Donald Trump's birthday?
It's not just the America 250 celebrations that UFC Freedom 250 coincides with.
The event is also being held on Trump's 80th birthday: June 14, 2026. That date also marks the Flag Day holiday in the United States.
The return of Conor McGregor to the UFC appears to be nearly finalized.
According to UFC CEO Dana White, all sides involved in negotations are nearing a completion of the paperwork, clearing the former UFC champion to make his long-awaited and much-anticipated return to the Octagon this summer.
"We're in a good place," White told Jim Rome (thanks to MMA Fighting for the quotes). "We're in a great place with Conor. I'm extremely confident that Conor will fight this year. I'm extremely confident that we'll get him dialed in and ready to roll. He's training, there's footage out there of him in training right now.
"We haven't announced anything yet. He'll fight this summer. Let me just start there. He'll fight this summer."
June appears to be the likely spot for Conor McGregor fight
The next couple UFC "marquee" events are set starting this Saturday night with UFC 328 where Khamzat Chimaev defends his UFC middleweight title against former champion Sean Strickland. From there, UFC White House is scheduled for June 14 with the main event locked in.
UFC 330 in August is expected to feature Islam Makhachev defending his welterweight championship, leaving UFC 329 this July for the return of "Notorious," who has held multiple championships with the promotion.
"He seems motivated, he's training," White said. "There are a lot of other great things going on behind the scenes that make me very confident he'll fight this summer."
Conor McGregor last fought inside the Octagon in 2021
McGregor last competed for the UFC in 2021, losing to Dustin Poirier when he suffered a gruesome broken leg. He did appear on a season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Michael Chandler since that time, as the two were expected to square off.
Khamzat Chimaev hasn’t lost sight of a potential super-fight with Alex Pereira.
Before that can happen, the reigning middleweight champion has other business to take care of, starting with Sean Strickland at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey.
Chimaev has made it clear he’s interested in adding more titles beyond his first defence. And if he does move up again, it won’t just be for the light heavyweight strap.
Chimaev open to Pereira fight two divisions above current weight class at UFC 328
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Talk of Chimaev fighting Pereira is nothing new. The two have exchanged words for quite some time, with the unbeaten Chechen initially linked to a bout with the Brazilian during his stint as light heavyweight champion in late 2024.
That matchup never came together, and since then, ‘Poatan’ has moved up in weight. He’s set to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title on June 14 at the UFC White House event.
If he doesn’t succeed in becoming the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in three different divisions, Chimaev expects him to drop back down to 205 pounds. But that isn’t the only path Chimaev sees leading them into the same octagon.
“I just want big fights,” Chimaev said during UFC 328 media day on Wednesday. “Alex Pereira, if he’s gonna lose (against Gane), he’s gonna come back down.”
“He’s a big fight, too, big name.”
“If not, I’m gonna go to heavyweight. I need big names, big money,” he added.
The reigning middleweight champion has made it clear he wants titles across multiple weight classes. After missing weight cut his run at welterweight short, his focus has shifted upwards through the divisions.
This weekend though is all about Sean Strickland. First things first: he needs to handle business against Strickland if he wants any chance of defending his title even once.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta established himself as one of the leading names in the UFC heavyweight division after building an impressive 10-2 record inside the promotion.
The Dominican contender currently sits fourth in the heavyweight rankings, meaning his opinions carry considerable weight when discussing the elite names competing near the title picture.
That includes the highly anticipated clash between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, where Cortes-Acosta surprisingly believes the Frenchman holds the edge in striking ability.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta shares unpopular opinion about Ciryl Gane being a better striker than Alex Pereira
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Speaking to Home of Fight’s Jake Noecker, Cortes-Acosta explained why he believes Gane possesses a better striking skillset for mixed martial arts competition.
“Ciryl Gane [is the better striker], because he’s more versatile, he moves better, he’s more dynamic,” ‘Salsa Boy’ began by saying.
“His striking is for Martial Arts. Striking in Kickboxing is different. Ciryl Gane’s striking is more well-rounded.”
Despite that opinion, Pereira’s UFC statistics suggest his striking has produced far more dangerous results inside the Octagon throughout his championship career.
Gane only owns four knockout victories across 13 UFC appearances, while “Poatan” already recorded eight knockouts in 12 fights with the promotion.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta could move close to title shot at UFC 328
Cortes-Acosta now has an enormous opportunity awaiting him next Saturday when he faces second-ranked heavyweight Alexander Volkov at UFC 328.
The Dominican enters the fight riding a three-fight winning streak, while Volkov has only won his most recent appearance inside the Octagon.
A victory over the Russian contender would significantly strengthen Cortes-Acosta’s argument for a future title opportunity in the heavyweight division.
However, any contender pursuing championship contention will still need to wait for the eventual unification bout involving the winner of Pereira vs. Gane against Tom Aspinall.
On 6 May, Slaughter to Prevail’s Alex Terrible launched his ‘Blood 4 Blood’ concept, though the outcome was a bit of a mixed bag.
Back in September, UFC heavyweight Alexander Volkov was spotted in the crowd at a Slaughter to Prevail concert.
Volkov has his own fight coming up this weekend against Waldo Cortes-Acosta, but the lead singer of one of his favourite bands took centre stage earlier this week.
The event was built around Alex Shikolai – better known as Alex Terrible – and combined fights with live performances from metal bands.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Alex Terrible stopped by Cameron Delano in the final round after a back-and-forth fight
On 6 May, Alex Terrible (Shikolai) stepped into the bare-knuckle ring for the third time in his career, although he’s mentioned that not all of his fights are officially recorded.
The Slaughter to Prevail frontman took on Cameron Delano in the main event of ‘Blood 4 Blood’, a fight that came just after he’d already performed with his band earlier in the night.
Despite putting up a good fight and even dropping Delano at one point, Terrible was knocked down several times. His attempt to finish strong ended with him getting stopped before the final bell.
The event included four fights and performances from four different bands. Despite coming up short, Terrible was pleased with how everything came together.
“Of course, I’m very sad, I lost,” Terrible said when reflecting on the fight. “It sucks. Sometimes s— happens. I feel sad, but at the same time I feel so happy because we made this Blood4Blood event.”
He also mentioned plans to step away from fighting for a while to focus on new music with Slaughter to Prevail.
The band is scheduled to play the Welcome To Rockville festival in Florida this weekend, giving him little time away from the spotlight.
BKFC has also announced another music collaboration event later this year, with fights scheduled ahead of Megadeth’s show at Sturgis Buffalo Chip on 8 August.
Fans have widely expected Islam Makhachev to face Ian Machado Garry in his first welterweight title defence. The matchup has been treated as the most logical next step.
Other contenders remain in the picture, including Carlos Prates and Michael Morales. Even so, most signs had pointed towards the Irishman receiving the opportunity.
That assumption has now been challenged. Makhachev’s latest comments suggest the situation is far from settled as discussions continue behind the scenes.
Islam Makhachev casts doubt on Ian Garry fight plans
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Makhachev admitted he is still unclear about his next opponent despite already beginning preparations. The uncertainty reflects a lack of direct communication from the promotion.
The Dagestani star said (via Red Corner MMA): “The UFC hasn’t informed me about it yet, but there’s been a lot of rumors about me fighting Ian Garry next. Yet I haven’t talked with any officials about this fight.”
Makhachev made it clear that several contenders are under consideration, as the division currently offers multiple viable options for a title bout.
“So, I can’t tell for sure who is the next contender. I’ve got 3-4 more possible matchups. Kamaru Usman is also up there, Ian Garry, Morales, Prates. They’re all expecting a title shot,” he said.
Carlos Prates emerges as the most intriguing option for Islam Makhachev
Among those names, Makhachev highlighted a potential bout against Prates as particularly appealing.
That surge follows the Brazilian’s dominant win over Jack Della Maddalena last weekend. The result significantly boosted his standing in the division.
“Well, I think Prates has got the hype now. He’s talked about much more now. So I think a fight with him would be the most interesting,” the champion commented.
In the latest rankings, Prates climbed to number two. Ian Garry, meanwhile, now holds the number one contender position.
After his win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth, Carlos Prates has made a big move up the welterweight rankings.
This past Saturday in Perth, Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates squared off in the main event, both hoping to strengthen their claims for a future title shot.
‘The Nightmare’ put on a flawless performance, becoming the first fighter to finish Della Maddalena inside the Octagon when he stopped him in the third round.
Prates has now put himself firmly into welterweight title contention and has been rewarded with a significant boost in the rankings.
Carlos Prates climbs to No. 2 in latest welterweight rankings update
Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC
After defeating the former champion, who held the top spot going into the fight, the 32-year-old has now climbed three places up to number two.
That result has also had a knock-on effect for Ian Machado Garry, who now moves up to number one and strengthens his case as the division’s top contender.
Makhachev is reportedly set to face Garry next, with that matchup expected to headline UFC 330 in Philadelphia.
Prates may not need another fight before earning his shot at the belt following Machado Garry, with a title opportunity looking likely before year’s end.
It wasn’t just welterweight where rankings shifted. Several other fighters from UFC Perth were rewarded for their performances with moves up their respective ladders.
Salkilld entered the lightweight rankings at number 12 after stopping Beneil Dariush in the first round, jumping ahead of fighters like Michael Chandler.
Steve Erceg also made a move, returning to flyweight’s top ten after edging out Tim Elliot on points.
The heavyweight division also saw a fresh name crack the top 15. Brando Pericic took over spot number 15 after an impressive showing against Shamil Gaziev, providing a much-needed boost to that weight class.
Since the early days when the sport was anything but a mainstream endeavor, the MMA industry has thrived and survived through various websites, forums, and – perhaps most importantly – social-media platforms.
Fighters interact with fans, each other and many more through the likes of X, Facebook and Instagram, which helps outsiders get a deeper look into the minds of the athletes.
Following Saturday's Paramount+ in Perth, Australia, several of the winning and losing fighters, along with their coaches, training partners or family members, took to social media to react to the event or share a message with supporters.
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