A former UFC welterweight champion has suddenly shown interest in fighting Conor McGregor.
“The Notorious” is expected to make his much-anticipated return in July and feature on the International Fight Week card. He was hell-bent on fighting at the White House on June 14 but failed to secure a spot on this once-in-a-lifetime card.
On the other hand, the Michael Chandler vs. McGregor saga will most likely remain incomplete as the former will now take on Mauricio Ruffy at UFC Freedom 250.
Earlier this week, on Monday, the Irishman’s manager had a meeting with the UFC brass. Fans and insiders have no information regarding how the negotiations went. However, Ariel Helwani believes the sit-down went positively, and the UFC will need “The Notorious” to return in July to save the day, at a time when MVP has already announced major matchups.
As per the Anti-Doping Test History database, Conor McGregor has already been tested 5 times in 2026, making him the most tested UFC fighter this year, which is another strong reason to believe The Mac is finally coming back.
Kamaru Usman calls out Conor McGregor
Moments before, Kamaru Usman called out Conor McGregor by posting on X:
Usman X McGregor 2026 👀”
Usman wanted to fight welterweight champion Islam Makhachev next, dethrone the Russian, recapture the 170-pound throne, and then move up to middleweight to run it back with Khamzat Chimaev for two-division glory.
However, Usman’s big plans do not seem realistic at the moment, as Ian Machado Garry or Michael Morales will potentially face Makhachev next once the latter recovers from his hand injury.
Chimaev, on the other hand, will defend his middleweight strap at UFC 328 against Sean Strickland.
At the age of 38, beating young guns like Chimaev or Makhachev and becoming a two-division champ is not easy game for the legendary Kamaru Usman. Perhaps “The Nigerian Nightmare” has also realized the same and is therefore seeking a ‘red panty night’ showdown with McGregor for his potential last dance.
McGregor hasn’t fought in nearly five years, but looks sharp in recent training footage and is looking forward to a fight against a 170-pounder when he returns.
However, given how this past weekend’s UFC 326 BMF title bout between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira went, the UFC will most likely not be interested in a potential Usman vs. McGregor bout, and fans know why.
Instead, “The Notorious” could run it back with “Blessed” when he returns, or face another stylistically favorable opponent instead of going against grapplers or wrestlers.
Does this potential Kamaru Usman vs. Conor McGregor matchup make sense? Let us know in the comments below.
