Chael Sonnen understands why most fighters make a return to the Octagon. Conor McGregor, however, has him absolutely puzzled. With ‘The Notorious’ set to return to the Octagon on July 11 for a welterweight rematch against Max Holloway, the UFC analyst admitted he still doesn’t understand what’s pulling the former two-division champion back after five years away.

“I’m trying to make sense of this, and it’s incredibly difficult,” he said on his YouTube channel. “I’m still not finding the why. I’m not finding why. I don’t know why Conor wants to do this. He says it’s a test. I have to believe him. I have to accept that, ’cause I can’t find why he’s doing it.”

According to ‘The American Gangster,’ Conor McGregor’s comeback is very different from a typical prizefighter’s return.

“He’s not doing it for the ranking. He’s not doing it for the accomplishment,” he continued on his YouTube video. “He’s not doing it for the money. He’s not doing it for the grudge. He’s not doing it to get a win over Max. He already has it. Conor’s already got a win over Max.

“He literally, from a typical prize fighter standpoint, has no reason to do this.”

For the UFC legend, addressing this one question could explain what separated the former UFC double champion from every other superstar the biggest MMA promotion in the world has ever had.

“If we could find what Connor’s true motivation for fighting Max is, I think that we would unlock, and be revealed, the answer to what made Connor so great,” Chael Sonnen added. “This one special, memorable, once-in-a-lifetime athlete.

“What made him different from everybody else? I feel that the answer lies simply within this question: Why? Why are you doing it? Why now? Why Max? Why 170? Why are you coming back?”

The Irishman’s return has certainly raised plenty of questions. The former featherweight and lightweight champion hasn’t competed in MMA since breaking his leg during his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. Since 2018, he has only won one of his four Octagon appearances, losing once to Khabib Nurmagomedov and to ‘The Diamond’ twice.

In fact, his most recent victory was when he defeated Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in 2020. Despite this, Conor McGregor feels the version that will return at UFC 329 is not the same as the one fans saw previously.

“I’m different now. I’m a different person,” he told UFC on Paramount+.

‘The Notorious’ has also made it clear that Max Holloway is only the beginning. Speaking ahead of UFC 329, Conor McGregor stated that he still sees himself competing for UFC gold if he can get his career back on track after losing love for the game.

“I’m open for business. I wish for activity. I’ve got a great fight in front of me.”

Perhaps this is the answer Chael Sonnen has been looking for. While he cannot identify a traditional reason for Conor McGregor’s return, the former double champion says he is returning to prove that he has evolved—and that another run to the top is still possible.