Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler are at it again. After both men coached on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023 and were scheduled to clash in the UFC 303 main event last year (which got canceled because of McGregor’s toe injury), fans were left with absolutely nothing. The American fighter, who sat out some crucial years waiting for ‘The Notorious’, had no other option but to move on. But painful losses against Charles Oliveira and Paddy Pimblett may have brought him back to McGregor.

What does the Irishman want, though? “There’s something else for me that’s in my gut right now,” he said earlier this year. With a potential Irish presidential run on his mind, many assumed his cage-fighting days were over. But his cryptic posts on social, which some might find unreliable, could hint otherwise. And now, in a move that no one saw coming, Michael Chandler took to Threads recently and wrote, “1/24/26” and followed it up with a simple yet effective, “Conor!!!!”. Instead of silence, ‘Iron’ got what he wanted. At least for now.

Conor McGregor took to Instagram and shared a series of stories that have caused a wave of frenzy in the MMA world. First, he re-shared an image of himself and Chandler during their TUF season, with a fan caption that read, “@thenotoriousMMA LETS GO”. And then came the second clue. A photo of McGregor, eyes locked on a pair of bloodstained sparring gloves. Next?

A snapshot of McGregor laughing on stage with Dana White, accompanied by Eminem’s 2002 song ‘Business’. Of course, it’s not just about throwing a punch and walking back in. McGregor hasn’t entered the UFC anti-doping pool this year, which means a six-month wait looms ahead. A January 2026 return would line up perfectly with the requirements.

But let’s rewind a bit. The road to McGregor’s return got another twist after UFC 314. Michael Chandler, after waiting nearly two years for a fight with the Irishman, stepped into the cage against Oliveira and next Paddy Pimblett. None of these went well. In fact, ‘The Baddy’ finished Chandler in the third round and left fans wondering if the fighter’s UFC career was done.

But the Irish MMA icon didn’t see it that way. “IRON MIKE CHANDLER. Unfinished business,” McGregor tweeted shortly after the fight. Even after losing a $500,000 bet on Chandler, ‘Mystic Mac’ was stuck on him.

So here we are, back on the edge of yet another Conor McGregor comeback trail. However, there’s one more name who wants a piece of ‘The Notorious’ and it’s not for a fight inside the UFC Octagon!

‘The Notorious’ receives a bold challenge from Mike Perry!

Mike Perry has set his crosshairs on ‘The Notorious’ and he’s tired of the Irishman sitting around on the sidelines. In an appearance on the ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo a day ago, Perry stated, “Bare-knuckle is really fun and exciting, I’m 5-0 and I got a lot of credit over there, I’m the king of violence over there.”

Another interesting factor? Conor McGregor is a part-owner of the BKFC. While he jokingly “fired” Perry after ‘Platinum’ lost to Jake Paul in a boxing match,  it looks like all that is water under the bridge. Perry further shared, “Conor’s over there playing around. Get back in the ring and let’s do something, Platinum Tequila vs Proper 12. Your whiskey dropped you, I’ll drop you.”

Strong words. But this is Perry’s world now. Bare-knuckle, no gloves, no mercy. McGregor hasn’t fought since July 2021, when Dustin Poirier shattered his leg, and the silence followed. Sure, he was set to return last year against Michael Chandler, but injury stole that show too. Although McGregor is reportedly still under UFC contract and may not be able to step into the BKFC ring just yet, he’s already got an opponent waiting if he makes the jump.

Ultimately, whether it’s the UFC Octagon or the bare-knuckle ring, Conor McGregor’s name still sparks chaos and challenge wherever it lands. Will McGregor return to face Chandler and settle their unfinished business? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!