Conor McGregor’s hopes for his next opponent were dashed earlier this week when UFC CEO Dana White said in an interview that plans for “The Notorious” to fight Michael Chandler in Washington for the month of June were no longer being explored. However, if McGregor has his way, when he fights he will have to be under a new contract.
Any contract Conor McGregor signs will be signed with the new media deal between the UFC and the UFC Paramount Plus in mind. This is the first in a seven-year streaming pact between the parties and McGregor has said his current contract would be void given the Paramount Plus deal.
Conor McGregor wants a new contract in the UFC before continuing his career
While livestreaming a session of the video game Roblox, He reiterated his intentions of fighting on the White House card late this spring, regardless of the potential opponent.
“I am now preparing for the fight against the White House,” said Conor McGregor. “I’m definitely going to be working on it. It’s going to be crazy, the White House map will be.”
As previously mentioned, the UFC has changed media partners. Last summer, the promotion stunned fans by inking a seven-year rights package worth $7.7 billion (USD) from Paramount Plus following a seven-year partnership with Disney-owned ESPN. McGregor says that with a new deal for the promotion, a new deal will have to follow for him.
“I will be negotiating with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in February,” he said. “I’m very interested in going. They even have a new deal with Paramount that’s worth $7.7 billion.”
McGregor’s new deal to replace PPV points
Under the expiring deal, major stars like Conor McGregor would receive pay-per-view points for their appearances on flagship UFC shows, meaning he would get a decent payday on any given night, if he or she wins or loses. The upcoming UFC deal with Paramount Plus has put an end to the pay-per-view model.
As a result, despite having two more games left on his current deal before it officially reaches expiration point, Conor McGregor is interested in securing a new contract with more permanence.
“The company has [quadrupled] the profits from it, and my contract is essentially void at this point,” he said. “There is no more PPV, while my contract was based on PPV sales. I am the highest generating PPV fighter of all time. The PPV system is ready, I will get a new contract.”
Is McGregor posting?
It’s been almost five years since Conor McGregor last fought in the legendary UFC Octagon. In June 2021, McGregor made his most recent walk to the cage for a fight against Dustin Poirier (30-10, 1 NC MMA, 22-9, 1 NC UFC in a trilogy fight during the UFC 264 main event.
McGregor broke his ankle, forcing him to withdraw from the bout at the end of the first round. He has been out of action since then.
A planned return fight in June 2024 against Michael Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) was canceled after McGregor suffered a broken toe. If and when “The Notorious” returns to action, it will undoubtedly be welcomed by MMA fans.
Considering he still has time left on his current UFC deal, this could very well be a tactic by Conor McGregor and his camp to try and pump more money into the box office. McGregor is almost 40 years old at this point and his title chasing days are behind him.
Final thoughts
Conor McGregor is at the point in his MMA career where he will only compete in money fights. He’ll undoubtedly be a draw for a few more years, so any potential move from McGregor is a smart move.
If he manages to get a new contract signed, he will head off into the sunset as an all-time great with a decent bankroll to enjoy. Whether McGregor lands the new contract he wants remains to be seen.
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