Conor McGregor advised Sean Hannity that his return to blended martial arts is “performed deal, signed, delivered,” and that he’ll compete on the White Home garden as a part of the nation’s 250th birthday festivities. McGregor mentioned he’s negotiating immediately with the U.S. authorities reasonably than with UFC officers, and that he has secured a contract for a headline bout through the summer season of 2026.
Conor McGregor Declares White Home Combat “Carried out Deal” for America’s 250th Birthday
Conor McGregor, a former two-division UFC champion, has not fought since struggling a damaged leg in July 2021 in opposition to Dustin Poirier. He withdrew from a scheduled combat with Michael Chandler final June after injuring his toe, however insisted on Fox Information that his White Home bout is locked in and that preparations are already beneath manner.
“Me and Dana [White] are in fixed communications. We’ve performed unbelievable enterprise collectively,” he mentioned, including that he’ll enter coaching camp instantly and deal with the occasion as “a six-month operation” to organize for what he referred to as the largest present in MMA historical past.
“Carried out deal, signed, delivered. McGregor will compete within the White Home for America’s 250th birthday.”
The proposed combat is tied to the USA Semiquincentennial, which marks 250 years because the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Official celebrations will span from Memorial Day 2025 by means of July 2026, that includes a Nice American State Honest on the Nationwide Mall and numerous cultural and academic packages. A White Home process drive chaired by former president Donald Trump is coordinating year-long occasions.
Whereas McGregor’s announcement has drawn international consideration, there isn’t a formal affirmation from the White Home or UFC. UFC president Dana White has described preliminary discussions with the Trump administration and shared renderings of an Octagon arrange on the South Garden, however has not publicly confirmed McGregor’s participation. Previous plans for a White Home combat have included contenders comparable to Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, elevating questions on matchup choice and nationwide illustration.
Logistical and safety concerns pose vital challenges. Internet hosting an expert MMA occasion on the presidential residence would require unprecedented coordination between the Secret Service, occasion promoters, and the Pentagon. The price – reportedly $100 million only for McGregor’s charge – would seemingly fall on taxpayers or non-public sponsors, prompting debate over the occasion’s appropriateness amid broader America 250 programming.
Skeptics additionally word McGregor’s historical past of last-minute combat cancellations and accidents. His public calls for embrace not solely a big purse but in addition diplomatic concessions comparable to “100 US Golden Visas,” which commentators have described as unrealistic. McGregor’s promotional aptitude and star energy have pushed UFC income, however translating that right into a government-backed spectacle stays untested.
