Conor McGregor has officially made his comeback to combat sports, entering the boxing ring on Good Friday in Dublin for a surprise match with local amateur Barry Nolan.
McGregor most recently stepped into the UFC octagon back in 2021 for his trilogy match with Dustin Poirier, which resulted in a TKO loss caused by the Irishman breaking his leg. He had his return match scheduled for 2024 against Michael Chandler, following the pair coaching opposite one another on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, but unfortunately the match did not come to fruition because of another injury.
Many had thought by this point that the MMA career of ‘The Notorious’ would be over, but once it was revealed that the UFC would be hosting an event on June 14th from the White House’s South Lawn, McGregor’s interest and motivation was once again piqued. The White House card was unveiled as ‘UFC Freedom 250’ last month at UFC 326, and while McGregor was not listed for a fight that didn’t mean his comeback plan was done, as the former two-division champion currently intends to return for UFC 329 on July 11th, which is set culminate International Fight Week 2026.
Now, it seems McGregor is getting ready for his comeback with some active boxing competition. It has been several years since he last faced an opponent in a competitive setting, so it is no surprise that he is stepping into the ring to shake off the rust as his UFC return gets closer. While McGregor only went three rounds at a relatively easy pace in the exhibition match, the fact that he is back to fighting is an excellent step toward the confirmation of his return to the UFC in July.