Dana White ruffled almost everyone’s feathers the other day when he said that Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler was not something he wanted for UFC White House. He did not even seem interested in making that fight at all anymore. White also used his go-to ‘we’ll see’ statement about McGregor’s return. As it turns out, there’s a lot more going on behind the curtains than either party was letting on.

Nearly five years after his leg break, the Irishman’s self-proclaimed legendary comeback had started to feel like a myth. But the White House event reignited hopes. What was always going to be key to his return, however, was the Paramount deal and the pressure to put on fights that matched the $7.7 billion the streaming giants were ready to pay the UFC. But as is the case with such big numbers, things are not so simple.

Conor McGregor says his contract is void after UFC’s Paramount deal kills PPV

Conor McGregor revealed the news during a livestream with streamer Caylus, in an oddly casual moment for something so big. “They’ve got a new deal with Paramount… And my contract essentially is void right now because there’s no more PPV, whereas my contract was based on PPV sales,” McGregor stated. Then he got straight to the part that no one can argue with. “I’m the highest-generating PPV fighter of all time. The PPV system is done. I’m due a new contract.”

This is where February enters the picture. ‘The Notorious’ claimed negotiations would begin shortly: “So we’re going into negotiations in February, and I’m very interested to see how it goes.” Do you know what else is happening in February?

UFC White House matchmaking. February was the timeline that White earmarked for putting together the White House card. So, it makes perfect sense that they negotiate with McGregor the same month and hopefully, get him on the card for his comeback.

But it’s still Conor McGregor, so, he couldn’t keep it all about the contracts. He combined business and ego like it was second nature. After making this massive reveal on the livestream, ‘The Notorious’ made an online statement on X that seemed like a warning cloaked in confidence.

“The body of work I have put in to date, along with its depth, is timeless. I really feel younger and fresher than ever, and only still warming up. You will doubt me at your own peril,” he wrote on X. Dana White has discouragingly dismissed the Irishman’s claims before. So, take it all with a pinch of salt until you hear an official announcement from the bossman himself.

Whether people believe him or not, Conor McGregor is obviously setting the stage: a new media era, new contract negotiations, and a body that he claims feels younger and fresher than ever. The question now is whether the UFC sees him in the same way. If you ask UFC legend Michael Bisping, there is a possible fight that does make a lot of sense for the Irishman.

Michael Bisping roots for McGregor vs. Jorge Masvidal at UFC White House

The opponent matters now more than ever. If Conor McGregor is promoting this fresher version of himself, the UFC cannot afford to schedule him in a risky comeback where the narrative is dead on arrival. They want something big, loud, and built for spectacle, particularly on a stage such as the White House card. So, if you ask Michael Bisping, there is one matchup that works perfectly.

‘The Count’ feels Conor McGregor vs. Jorge Masvidal is the kind of matchup the UFC would love to make. He claimed that it makes a lot of sense because Dana White has previously ruled out Michael Chandler as McGregor’s return opponent, calling the fight old news. When that door closed, Masvidal’s teasing of a major White House announcement became less like trolling and more like a real breadcrumb.

Bisping said on his YouTube channel, “Conor McGregor vs. Jorge Masvidal makes all the sense in the world because for McGregor coming back, he’s the big star; they want him to win, simple as that, they do. The sport of mixed martial arts is a better place with people like Conor McGregor.” He further added, “The White House, being the magnitude of the event, it sells itself.”

Bisping’s logic is simply UFC math: the company wants ‘The Notorious’ back because he is still the biggest star, and they want it to go well on a historic card. Jorge Masvidal is a name, a personality, and a proven seller, but he has been out of the UFC since 2023 and is coming off a tough stretch, making the matchup feel safer than it would have six years ago. Add in the entertainment value and nostalgia of two loudmouth icons finally sharing a cage, and it becomes the type of fight that sells itself without the need for a belt.