Maybe one of many greatest questions looming over 2025 is whether or not or not Conor McGregor truly returns to struggle once more.
The Irish celebrity, who was booked to face Michael Chandler again in July till a damaged McGregor toe derailed that struggle, hasn’t competed since 2021 when he suffered a grotesque leg harm in a trilogy bout towards Dustin Poirier. Whereas McGregor has constantly teased his return to motion, the dates supplied by UFC CEO Dana White have progressively gotten later with the newest estimate left at a while in 2025.
Then, out of nowhere, McGregor dropped a bombshell when he claimed talks had been ongoing for a possible boxing match towards Logan Paul. However retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown wasn’t all that shocked by the transfer, particularly since he’s had doubts about McGregor returning to MMA for fairly a while.
“Does he struggle in any respect? He most likely will get in a avenue struggle, I’ll name that one,” Brown stated on the newest episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “Does he struggle Logan Paul? That’s an excellent query. I don’t know. I’m going to say I don’t know.
“Does he struggle within the UFC? I feel that’s a transparent no. Does he struggle exterior the UFC? I feel it’s at all times attainable for him to struggle exterior the UFC, if the UFC permits it. I don’t know if the UFC goes to get behind it. I simply don’t understand how these offers are going to play out. However does he struggle within the UFC? No, and I’m going to go away it at that. He gained’t be within the UFC. I don’t assume he’ll struggle within the UFC ever once more.”
There was a time when Brown was virtually alone in his opinion about McGregor’s future however the fixed delays in his deliberate return to combating have led to numerous doubts about whether or not or not the previous two-division UFC champion would ever compete once more.
Exterior-the-cage points have additionally continued to plague McGregor, which embrace the results of a civil lawsuit in his native Eire during which a jury discovered him responsible for sexual assault.
It’s unimaginable to know if authorized troubles make it roughly possible that McGregor would struggle once more however Brown’s doubts focus on him returning to MMA somewhat than taking one other boxing match just like the one he had with Floyd Mayweather again in 2017.
“I’d wish to see him struggle once more,” Brown stated. “I’d wish to see him get his life collectively, get again within the gymnasium and do his factor however how way back did I initially say he’s not combating once more? I feel it was at newest early 2024. I haven’t had confidence he was going to struggle within the UFC for a very long time. However I feel it’s at all times attainable for him to struggle exterior the UFC if he can work out no matter take care of the UFC. He’s nonetheless beneath contract. I feel that’s at all times a chance.
“There’s a lot cash to be made doing a Logan Paul struggle. After all, he would try this. He doesn’t have to return again and struggle a f*cking Islam [Makhachev] or one thing or Dustin Poirier or [Nate] Diaz or something. He simply going and boxing a man who is just not a professional boxer.”
Brown is aware of the dangers concerned in a boxing match with a social influencer like Paul isn’t almost as nice as taking up one of many high fighters on the planet within the UFC.
Add to that, he acknowledges the draw for McGregor vs. Paul comes right down to the promotion greater than the struggle itself.
“The entire curiosity of him combating Logan Paul, it has nothing to do with the struggle. It’s the buildup to the struggle that’s enjoyable,” Brown stated. “The struggle itself we already know goes to be silly however the buildup, that’s the story. It’s not the struggle.
“If he comes again and fights within the UFC, it’s not likely in regards to the buildup. There might be buildup and all that if he comes again and fights [Michael] Chandler or simply anyone. Yeah, there might be buildup however it’s the struggle we care about then. To be trustworthy at this level in Conor’s profession, I feel I might be extra serious about seeing a cool buildup to a f*cking Logan Paul factor. The state of affairs Conor’s in, the best way he lives now, the life that he has, it’s extra attention-grabbing, I feel.”
It’s unimaginable to know if the UFC would get behind McGregor taking a boxing match somewhat than returning to the octagon however there’s no denying the potential monetary windfall from a struggle towards Paul.
That’s one more reason why Brown has extra religion in McGregor doing the boxing match with Paul in 2025 than seeing “The Infamous” again within the UFC.
“Realistically, the UFC will get their minimize out of it,” Brown stated. “They’ll be comfortable. It type of works for everybody.”
