Conor McGregor`s highly anticipated return to the UFC is reportedly less than a year away, but the fighter is already making significant demands regarding his comeback.
The legendary former two-division world champion has stated his intention to step back into the octagon at the UFC`s planned event at the White House next summer. Since President Donald Trump announced this major event earlier this month, McGregor has been actively campaigning for a fight, likely against Michael Chandler.
McGregor is among several prominent fighters aiming to be on the card, a list that includes Jon Jones, who even re-entered the UFC drug testing pool in preparation for a potential return from retirement. However, McGregor has wasted no time in telling UFC President Dana White exactly what he requires for his fight to materialize.
- Learn more about Conor McGregor: Step inside the life of the UFC`s `notorious` former double champ.
McGregor Issues Demand: Teammate Must Be Signed to UFC
Conor McGregor was very active on social media celebrating his birthday recently, sharing photos and tributes from fans, fellow athletes, and friends. One friend featured was Lee Hammond, a contestant on the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter, where McGregor served as a coach.
Hammond held an undefeated professional record following an extensive amateur career before appearing on TUF. While his exhibition loss on the show didn`t count professionally, he suffered his first pro defeat in a fight outside the series last year.
Now, despite Hammond having faced two recent defeats (one on TUF and one professionally), McGregor is publicly demanding that Dana White sign him to the UFC roster. Hammond and McGregor have been long-time teammates at SBG Ireland and the Crumlin Boxing Club `School of Excellence`.
After Hammond posted a birthday message (in Irish) saying “Happy birthday brother,” McGregor responded with a firm ultimatum: “MAC MANSION. VEGAS. 2015. I’M BACK WHEN LEE IS SIGNED. ONLY.” He directly tagged Dana White and included a hashtag referencing Crumlin Boxing Club, underscoring his demand.
McGregor`s History of Getting Teammates Signed
Early in his UFC career, McGregor saw several teammates join the promotion alongside him. He followed in the footsteps of Tom Egan and Gunnar Nelson and was quickly joined by Aisling Daly, Paddy Holohan, and Cathal Pendred, among others.
Over time, he even played a role in getting Artem Lobov onto The Ultimate Fighter despite Lobov`s near-even record, and Lobov remained on the roster for years. Other teammates later moved to Bellator, notably James Gallagher and title challengers Peter Queally and Sinead Kavanagh.
Currently, only three other Irish fighters are signed to the UFC: Kiefer Crosbie, Shauna Bannon, and Ian Machado Garry. Of these, only Crosbie is a direct teammate from SBG Ireland, although McGregor maintains positive relationships with all of them.
Jack Thornley