“He’s not fighting anytime soon, I haven’t talked to him in a minute, but yeah, I don’t know.” That was the last update from UFC boss Dana White on Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to the cage. It came earlier this year, but it wasn’t exactly filled with hope. It’s been nearly four years since ‘The Notorious’ last stepped into the Octagon, and after the Michael Chandler bout fell through due to a broken pinky toe suffered by the Irishman, it has been a whirlwind of speculation and cryptic social media posts.

But just when it seemed like ‘The Notorious’ had drifted too far from White and the UFC, a new post has surfaced. Not from a gym or training camp, but from a dinner table, surrounded by family. And in true Conor McGregor fashion, it was loud, heartfelt, and impossible to ignore!

In a lighthearted video shared on his Instagram, McGregor can be seen sitting at a restaurant table with his kids. He turns to them and cues them to say, “What’s up, Uncle Dana?” and the children gleefully follow along. The Irish MMA icon then laughs and turns to the camera and states, “Brother, we love you to bits…” The post was tagged with “@UFC @danawhite #loyalty.” Dana White even re-shared the clip on his own Instagram story, a move that didn’t go unnoticed by the MMA sphere. So, what’s going on exactly?

Well, back in May, when White spoke about McGregor’s comeback, it didn’t sound positive. But he confessed: “There will never be another Conor McGregor. There will be another superstar that pops up, but there will never be another Conor McGregor.” All that being said, a 2025 return simply didn’t look like it is in the book. Yet McGregor’s social media has been buzzing. He has shared training clips, flashing his signature speed and swagger, keeping fans guessing and routinely claiming he will be back after all. In one post, he even demanded White to “CALL THAT BIG B— NURSE.” Then came the punchline: “Let’s get this show started.” That was last month, but so far, McGregor’s comeback journey is still stuck where is was months ago.

But despite everything, the injuries, the headlines, the silence, McGregor still sees himself as part of the UFC family. And maybe he is reminding Dana White of that, too. But outside the cage, ‘The Notorious’ story has grown even messier.

Conor McGregor’s Ibiza antics lead to a brutal reality check by ‘El Matador’

Earlier this month, Conor McGregor landed himself in the headlines again, and this time, not for throwing punches in the gym. The Irishman was caught on camera at Pacha nightclub in Ibiza, unloading two left hands on a fellow club-goer during what appeared to be a brief verbal exchange. The man dropped, McGregor’s crew stepped in, and chaos briefly followed. But unlike in the Octagon, this KO didn’t impress the critics. One of them was UFC 317 headliner Ilia Topuria. While preparing for his lightweight title clash against Charles Oliveira, ‘El Matador’ saw the viral clip and didn’t hold back.

In a conversation with Shakiel Mahjouri, the undefeated Spanish-Georgian star shared, “Did you see the last video? I saw it. He connected two punches and he wasn’t even able to knock out an average man. He connected two punches and the guy walked off like normal, like anything happened.” McGregor’s been here before. In 2019, he punched an older man at a pub in Dublin, reportedly over a disagreement about whiskey.

So where does that leave the UFC’s most unpredictable superstar? On one hand, he’s sharing heartfelt tributes and pledging loyalty to Dana White. On the other hand, he’s drawing criticism from rising stars like Ilia Topuria. Sure, Conor McGregor’s name still carries weight, but the actions that once made him a legend now spark more concern than confidence. Do you think he will ever make a UFC comeback?