Mauricio Ruffy has very interesting news for fans concerning him and former UFC double champion Conor McGregor. Ruffy returned to winning ways this past weekend against Rafael Fiziev at UFC 325. The Brazilian knockout artist now has his crosshairs on the UFC White House card and has called out Paddy Pimblett and McGregor.
Ruffy says he and McGregor might throw down on June 14, when the promotion heads to the South Lawn of the White House. In a recent interview, the 29-year-old stated that there were talks about him taking on ‘The Notorious’ and both fighters have accepted the offer.
The promotion started matchmaking for the June 14 card right after UFC 324 and plans to wrap up the entire fight lineup by the second week of February. Dana White has previously mentioned that the Irishman is in contention for a spot on this mega card.
If Michael Chandler and Jorge Masvidal won’t be fighting McGregor when he returns, then who will be the opponent remains the question of the hour.
Mauricio Ruffy claims Conor McGregor has shown interest in locking horns with him
To add to the intrigue, Mauricio Ruffy claims there have been discussions regarding a potential matchup between him and Conor McGregor. He and the Irishman are stylistically compatible, and Ruffy says his impressive run in the UFC has helped put his name into the mix.
The Brazilian fighter added that McGregor has shown interest in the idea as the 37-year-old wants to fight a guy “that’s going to drive the audience crazy” instead of someone on a losing skid. He told Laerte Viana:
Yes. He [Conor McGregor] made comments about me fighting him. He said that two strikers of that very high level would sell much more. It would be something closer to what he’s trying to bring in his comeback. Not to fight a guy who’s coming off several losses and all that. He wants to do a fight against a guy that’s going to drive the audience crazy. And I said ‘Wow.’ I agreed right away. I said ‘100%, count me in. Let’s go.'”
Check out Mauricio Ruffy’s comments below:
🚨 🇺🇸 Mauricio Ruffy says his name was mentioned in conversations between Conor Mcgregor and UFC about their potential fight on the White House card:
"Yes. He made comments about me fighting him. He said that two strikers of that very high level would sell much more. It would… pic.twitter.com/xrkK8srPdl
Fans have previously drawn comparisons between the Brazilian knockout artist and Conor McGregor, noting their similar movement, sharp timing, and sniper-like precision, which beats power.
Conor McGregor last fought at UFC 264 in 2021, opposite Dustin Poirier, and suffered a drastic leg injury, losing the trilogy bout by TKO in Round 1. Following recovery and rehabilitation, he was going to fight Michael Chandler in 2024 at UFC 303 to wrap up their TUF 31 saga. However, the fight never came to fruition as the Dubliner suffered a toe injury and had to withdraw.
After that, McGregor was busy with his political ambitions, legal battles, and BKFC duties. However, ever since Dana White and President Donald Trump announced the White House card, McGregor is itching to return to the octagon. He is back in the pool, has vowed to live in the gym, and is doing all it takes to make the return.
Conor McGregor wants to fight on the UFC White House Card. [Image via Conor McGregor on Facebook]
If ‘The Notorious’ returns to action on June 14, there’s a strong chance he’ll want to compete at welterweight. That would likely force any lightweight hoping to face him to move up to 170 pounds.
Other than Mauricio Ruffy, there have also been rumors about Paddy Pimblett locking horns with McGregor. Meanwhile, Michael Chandler has not given up hope of cashing in on a red panty night against the Irishman.
Subham is a writer and editor with experience spanning MMA, Health & Fitness, true crime, and pop culture. He has previously worked with Sportskeeda MMA, SK True Crime, and SK Pop, Movies, and Shows.
He currently covers the UFC for LowKickMMA and MMA Pros Picks.