Dana White expressed strong confidence that Conor McGregor will return to action inside the octagon this summer.
“I’m extremely confident it’ll happen this summer,” White said regarding McGregor’s return.
Although the UFC CEO stopped short of officially confirming an opponent or event.
“There are a lot of great things going on behind-the-scenes that make me very confident that he will fight this summer,” White added.
Now, White has revealed how McGregor’s contract could work following the UFC’s major broadcast shift away from the traditional pay-per-view model after moving from ESPN to Paramount+ earlier this year.
The UFC signed a reported seven-year, $7.7 billion agreement with Paramount+, placing events directly on streaming platforms and making major changes to fighter compensation structures.
That immediately raised questions about McGregor’s future earnings, given that the Irish superstar has historically been one of the biggest pay-per-view draws in combat sports history.
White says UFC has formula for McGregor’s new deal
Speaking at the post-event presser for UFC 328, White explained that the UFC already has an internal system to calculate fighter compensation, despite changes to the broadcast structure.
“There’s a formula to it and McGregor is going to do just fine,” White said.
According to the UFC head honcho, the company uses a fighter’s historical pay-per-view success to help determine future compensation under the new streaming era.
“It’s based on taking the average of his pay-per-view buys and what they do is find an equation for that,” White explained.
White also made it clear that McGregor is not the only fighter affected by the new system.
“We’ve done it for a lot more guys than just McGregor,” he added.
The contract discussion comes as speculation continues building around McGregor’s long-awaited UFC return.
As of now, things are looking in a positive direction for the return of ‘The Notorious’.
McGregor linked with Max Holloway rematch amid UFC comeback rumors
The former two-division UFC champion has not fought since suffering a broken leg during his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier in 2021.
However, he was scheduled to return to action at UFC 303 against his long-time rival, Michael Chandler. A few weeks before the fight, the Irish star suffered a toe injury that led to his withdrawal from the bout.
As for McGregor’s return, Max Holloway has emerged as the frontrunner to welcome the Irish star back to the octagon in a long-awaited rematch. The two first met back in 2013, when the Irish star secured a unanimous decision victory early in their UFC careers.
McGregor has been teasing fans for months by actively sharing training footage across social media, further fueling speculation surrounding his return. Rumors have also continued swirling that the former two-division champion is being lined up to headline UFC 329 against Holloway.