Conor McGregor’s life has been upside down owing to the verdict in his civil lawsuit case. In addition, he found himself under fire this week from UFC commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan. Like many fans, the UFC color commentator has been eagerly awaiting the Irishman’s return to the Octagon, but the delay has frustrated him. On a recent episode of his Joe Rogan Experience podcast, #2239, Rogan expressed his doubts about McGregor’s future in the sport, stating, “I don’t know if Conor’s ever gonna fight again… The reality is that guy’s partying and he’s partying real hard.”

This remark sparked a backlash from MMA fans, with many criticizing Rogan for what they viewed as an uncalled-for comment. Since then, analysts and others in the MMA world have largely stayed silent—until Chael Sonnen recently stepped forward to defend Rogan’s point of view. ‘The American Gangster’ clarified that fans had misinterpreted the podcaster’s words.

“I understand that topic has come up a hundred times, but it recently got weighed in on by Joe Rogan, who said Conor is done. And that’s not an exact quote from Joe, but it was close—something along the lines of, ‘We’ll never fight again. His career is over.’ This wasn’t your typical, ‘We’ll never work with Conor again, we’ll never watch Conor again’ scenario. Joe’s context was, ‘Is he going to fight again? No, he’s not going to be booked to fight again,” Sonnen explained on his YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, Conor McGregor has remained absent from the Octagon for over three years. Fans had anticipated his return at UFC 303 in the summer, where he was set to face Michael Chandler, but an injury derailed those plans and left his future in the sport uncertain. As the year draws to a close, there’s still no official word on the UFC star’s comeback, apart from a cryptic post. Let’s take a look at the latest update from the ‘Mystic Mac’.

When will Conor McGregor return to the Octagon?

Conor McGregor remains one of the biggest poster boys of the sport, with fans eagerly awaiting his return to the Octagon despite his prolonged absence. However, Hollywood ventures, business deals, and occasional injuries have often diverted the Irishman’s path. These distractions, though, haven’t dimmed his star power. Through social media, McGregor continues to keep fans on edge with occasional hints at his next move.

In his most recent post, McGregor dashed the hopes of those hoping to see him back in the UFC, revealing that he had shelved his boxing ambitions in favor of a match with Logan Paul. He tweeted, “In preliminary agreement with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in an exhibition boxing match.” This announcement sparked criticism among MMA fans. However, just days later, the UFC star dropped another hint about his UFC return.

On his Instagram story, he shared a post from the popular page ‘Pubity’ with the caption, “New city has the most billionaires in the world,” followed by the statement, “Home of the champ champ! UFC NYC, NOVEMBER.” What are your thoughts on McGregor’s future in the Octagon? Do you think he is planning to return to the city where he registered his name into the annals of MMA history? Do you agree with Joe Rogan’s harsh assessment, questioning, “If Conor’s ever gonna fight again?” Share your opinion below.