It’s been a little more than a year since fight fans have seen Conor McGregor compete.
McGregor’s last in-cage appearance was against Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC 229, a title fight he lost by fourth-round submission. According to the former UFC double champion, he’s been raring and ready to go.
So, what’s the holdup then? “Politics,” said McGregor in a Q&A session held Tuesday in Urkaine.
“Funny enough, I just want to compete now,” McGregor said. “I was trying to get the Dec. 14 card. For whatever reason, they’ve been holding me back. I’m giving them dates. I’m saying ‘I want to fight this date, this date, this date, this date in a row.’ We have opponents selected and everything. They’re just making it very difficult for me for whatever reason.”
McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) spoke with an increased amount of fervor when discussing his inactivity. He voiced displeasure on fighting infrequently and vowed to return in the near future.
“For me, I used to fight every couple of weeks really before the UFC came,” McGregor said. “Then, it was every couple of months. Now, the politics of the prize got involved. It’s almost like I fight one and then I go up. I don’t like that.
“You can’t be like that in this game. I must continue. Consistency is another word for it. You must be consistent. Once we get the first one done and get past the politics of this, I will continue to go.”
Frustrated nothing has been set, McGregor hinted at a fight announcement in the near future. “The Notorious” didn’t name a specific opponent or date, but he stated the public should become aware of his next booking soon.
“We’re very, very close to announcing it. Not just yet, but surely over the course of this trip we should have an announcement,” McGregor said. “That’s what we’re aiming for. … It’s not from me why I’m not competing. There are many outside influences. The politics in prize fighting you will not believe. Like I said, we are almost there, and I will be back. I appreciate your patience.”
Until pen actually hits paper and a deal is finalized, McGregor said he is considering staying active by organizing a charity event. One hundred percent of the proceeds would be donated to charity, according to the 31-year-old lightweight. McGregor said he’s done it before, referring to an amateur boxing match held at Crumlin Boxing Club in April 2019.
“Create an event, find an opponent, compete (for) zero prize – I do not care about the prize,” McGregor said. “The prize is in my home. I have five prizes in my home that I seeked to get. I’ve got them. I just want to compete now. I want to come back. I want to get sharp. I want to show the best of myself and continue the climb. That’s what I’m seeking to do.
“We’re looking to do that sometime in December. Hopefully have a charity mixed martial arts event for zero prize. The prize will go to charity. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
McGregor’s inactivity could be in part due to his recent troubles with the law. In March, McGregor was arrested after he swiped and smashed a fan’s cellphone in Miami. Less than one month after the arrest, McGregor punched a patron at a pub in Ireland. Both the cell phone and pub incidents were captured on camera. Eventually, McGregor spoke on the issues, saying “I was in the wrong.”
Earlier this month, McGregor was named in a New York Times report as being the subject of a sexual assault investigation in Ireland, the second time that has happened this year.
