Conor McGregor UFC return set: Five years of chaos explained

Conor McGregor will return to the UFC octagon in July to fight Max Holloway, promotion president Dana White announced Saturday, closing a five-year chapter that saw the Irish star's career derailed by legal issues, business distractions, and a string of aborted comeback attempts.

The former two-division champion last competed in a UFC cage in 2020, when he knocked out Donald Cerrone at welterweight. Since then, McGregor's path back has been blocked by injuries, legal battles including a civil sexual assault case in Ireland that concluded last year, and what multiple reports described as a shift in priorities toward his whiskey brand and social media presence.

What kept McGregor out of the cage

ESPN reports that the layoff represents the longest active absence of any top-ranked UFC fighter in the modern era. A scheduled bout with Michael Chandler fell apart multiple times, first due to McGregor's broken toe in 2023 and later amid what White called contract renegotiations. The Irishman continued to post frequently on social media and attend promotional events, fueling speculation that his fighting days were finished.

The Holloway matchup marks a rematch from their 2013 featherweight clash, which McGregor won by decision. Both men have since moved up in weight, with Holloway currently competing at lightweight and McGregor expected to return at welterweight. No venue or exact date has been confirmed, though White indicated the fight would land in the second week of July.

Reported via:

• ESPN MMA — Explaining the five tumultuous years since Conor McGregor has fought in the UFC