Dana White explains “strategic decision” behind Conor McGregor’s delayed return to UFC

After Conor McGregor shared hazy details about an expected comeback into the Octagon against Michael Chandler this summer, UFC President Dana White discussed the “strategic decision” behind McGregor’s delayed return on the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo.

McGregor, who has been busy on the red carpet, spent the last several months on PR tours promoting his newly released Hollywood film, Roadhouse. The question remains whether “The Notorious” will have enough time to train for a comeback during International Fight Week, as he has previously suggested.

Dana white shares his perspective on delays of Conor McGregor’s fights

Talking about anticipated comeback of “The Notorious,” Dana White expressed that he has full clarity when it comes to the return of McGregor. White also shut down the rumors brought about in MMA media about Conor now having skewed relationships with the company, after Conor expressed his own discontent with them.

“There’s no lack of communication, not at all. You know where Conor is tonight? He’s in New York City for the premiere of Road House. He has obligations right now to promote this movie. He’s been flying all over the world going to all these premieres of this launch of this movie. This is an obligation that he has to do. It is what it is, he committed to this movie, he has obligations to this movie. He can’t do both,” said Dana, implying that Conor had been so busy with the release of his new film that Dana did not expect him to put time into training and making an octagon comeback.

“Once this movie launches, which is Thursday, and boom, I don’t know what his obligations are once it launches, then Conor can get back in the gym and start training. Like, full-time, like, getting ready for a camp,” White continued.

“But, you two can attest to this too, tell me if I’m f****** wrong, once you start to make a lot of money, you’re not as hungry as you were before,” concluded Dana, implying that it was Conor that lost the ‘hunger’ that was required to be fighting the top 10 in the world.

Whereas, Conor McGregor previously spoke about feeling a lack of motivation because the UFC doesn’t give him the fights he would like.

Conor McGregor fully engross in promoting movie

With the world premiere and release of Conor’s first ever Hollywood film, Roadhouse, McGregor has spent the last 3 months dedicated entirely to promoting the film.

From participating in live TV interviews to attending PR events hosted by major news and media networks, Conor is least expected to have been immersed in the gym, let alone a training camp.

According to Conor, he went through two separate fight camps last year while waiting for the UFC to ‘give a date’. Conor told the press that he attended a wrestling-heavy fight camp in Dubai, followed by a striking-heavy camp in Cannes, France.

Conor expressed stopping training after facing a lack of motivation and then getting very busy with the PR tours of his film and then St. Patrick’s Day (a very important day for the Irish communities).