In a surprising change, Conor McGregor has revealed a vulnerability fans rarely see, setting aside the trash talk for a painful, personal confession. The former two-division champion, now 37, hasn’t fought since that brutal leg break against Dustin Poirier in 2021. Since then, there have been false starts, including a canceled fight with Michael Chandler in 2024, and ongoing negotiations complicated by the UFC’s shift away from traditional PPV revenue.

Even UFC boss Dana White recently admitted things are still in a holding pattern, saying it’s the “same old” with nothing close to finalized. Yet, amid all that uncertainty, McGregor’s latest message didn’t sound like a man negotiating. It sounded like someone searching.

“My heart and soul aches with a pain I cannot express in words,” McGregor wrote on Instagram, alongside images of him praying and receiving blessings. “But I know the One who formed them both, and only He can restore them. Healing belongs to God. Go to God for healing. JOHN 14:6.”

This is the same fighter who built his brand on brash confidence and control, now openly admitting pain he “cannot express.” Whether that’s physical, mental, or both, he didn’t specify. But given the timeline, five years out, injuries, and his last Octagon win coming in 2020, it adds up. Then came the pivot.

In a second post, the message flipped completely. Training pictures replaced the quiet images. The language changed too, as ‘The Notorious’ shared:

“I’m coming back to do what I do. Knock people out for my money.”

And if you look at his recent activity, it backs it up. Earlier this month, he stepped into a boxing ring in Dublin for an exhibition and looked sharp, even scoring two standing eight-counts. It wasn’t official, but it showed movement, timing, and most importantly, intent.

So where does that leave things? Right now, somewhere in between reflection and action. The UFC is reportedly targeting International Fight Week in July, possibly UFC 329, but nothing is locked in. And there’s still a real question about how McGregor’s contract works in a post-PPV model in the Paramount era. That’s not a small detail. At his peak, McGregor was driving massive PPV numbers, and that revenue was a big part of his earnings.

So the question now is simple. Can he still do it at the highest level, and if he returns, who will the UFC pair him up against? Chael Sonnen believes there’s one name the fans can cross off the list.

Chael Sonnen is ‘confident’ Conor McGregor’s return won’t be against Max Holloway

While there were reports floating around that the Irishman could be matched up with Max Holloway on his return, Chael Sonnen doesn’t see a rematch happening, even though their first fight dates back to 2013. The reason is straightforward: weight.

“I’m confident in telling you for sure it won’t be Max. The only thing that I know about the Conor fight is that it will not be lower than 170 pounds,” Sonnen shared on The Bohnfire podcast. “Max doesn’t fight at 170, and I know he says, ‘I would go up for that fight,’ but the mere fact that he would go up for that fight is the very reason you don’t need to do that fight.”

That matters because Holloway has built his career at 145 lbs; now he’s fighting at 155, but has never competed at welterweight. Asking him to jump again, especially against a bigger, older McGregor, doesn’t add up competitively. So if it’s not Holloway, then who?

The UFC veteran believes McGregor won’t get an easy return. Instead, he expects the promotion to match him with a dangerous, younger contender, someone like Ian Garry, rather than a safe or familiar opponent. While McGregor’s star power guarantees a big main event regardless of the matchup, Sonnen feels the promotion will still pair him with a high-level “stud” to match the scale and money involved.

So, despite all the unknowns, the intent feels real this time. The exhibition in Dublin showed that Conor McGregor is moving again. The training clips show he’s working, and the faith adds another layer to the saga. The only question now is, will the comeback actually become a reality this time?