The question of Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon has consumed the MMA sphere once again. While his recent legal battle has kept the spotlight firmly on the Irish MMA icon, the specter of his absence still looms large over the UFC. With UFC boss Dana White suggesting a late 2025 return for arguably the biggest star the sport has ever seen, the ‘comeback’ has remained tantalizingly close yet frustratingly out of reach.

Enter Brendan Schaub, the outspoken former UFC heavyweight, who has stirred the pot with a bold prediction. In a recent statement, Schaub has indicated that ‘The Notorious’s return has the potential to be a blockbuster event for the promotion but the question remains, will the UFC still be interested?

Conor McGregor’s UFC return questioned by Brendan Schaub

In a video on his YouTube channel ‘Extra Thicc’, Brendan Schaub stated, “Yeah, we live in a crazy world, end of the day though, if Conor were to fight in end of December 2025, it would be the most watched fight of the year and this only adds to that, the whole story.”

But who would he fight? Well, Michael Chandler seems to be open to the idea of trying to fight McGregor, again. While the two were scheduled to clash at UFC 303 earlier this year, a toe injury suffered by the Irishman de-railed those plans. Instead, Chandler took on Charles Oliveira in a re-match at UFC 309 where he came up short against ‘Do Bronx’.

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Now, with McGregor’s legal troubles casting a shadow over his future, Chandler recently stated in an interview with Ariel Helwani, “The best thing he [McGregor] can do is to get back moving towards a common goal. Why not fight me? Why not be training to fight me?”

But Schaub had another perspective on the situation. The former UFC heavyweight indicated, “But again I wonder if UFC, because the UFC does not need him, they don’t need him, he’d be great and they, I’m sure they’re down to do business with him. I know Conor’s made a lot of poor choices and this is one of them.”

With stars like Alex Pereira, Sean O’Malley, Ilia Topuria, and more lighting up the promotion, the UFC and Dana White aren’t exactly starving for star power. Still, McGregor’s ability to draw eyes—and dollars—is undeniable. The mere mention of his return can send ripples through the combat sports world, sparking debates and endless speculation. But beneath the excitement lies a sobering question, will the MMA world embrace McGregor’s return?

Daniel Cormier questions whether McGregor will be ‘forgiven’ by fans and “the fight world”  

The fallout from Conor McGregor’s recent legal troubles has been swift and brutal. Proximo Spirits, the powerhouse behind Proper No. 12 whiskey, has severed ties, removing his image from the brand. Even Dublin and Cork airports have wiped his alcohol products from their shelves. To make matters worse, McGregor’s likeness has been scrubbed from IO Interactive’s ‘Hitman: World of Assassins’ game.

As such, in a recent video on his YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier raised an important question for the fans as he inquired, “Conor McGregor is going to face some real-life consequences, but my question to you guys is, does he need a fight to try to make y’all forgive him? Or will the fight world even accept this man as they used to, with this being public knowledge?”

The Irishman has clawed his way back from adversity before, both in and out of the cage. But this time, it feels different. “He’s in the s–t, guys,” Cormier admitted, voicing doubts about whether McGregor can navigate this storm unscathed.

His potential return to the Octagon in 2025 as claimed by Brendan Schaub does offer a glimmer of hope for a career revival, a chance to reignite the magic that once captivated the world. But the shadows of his legal troubles and public perception linger like storm clouds over a fighter once revered as untouchable. Will Conor McGregor rise from the ashes, or has the flame that fueled his meteoric rise finally burned out? Let us know what you think in the comments below!