Conor McGregor Demands Stadium Showdown for UFC Comeback After Injury Hiatus
Sarah Johnson
April 23, 2025
Conor McGregor is at it again—the former UFC champ has made waves after setting a single, outsized condition for his long-awaited return to the octagon. Nearly a year after a toe injury benched his last comeback plans, McGregor made it clear on social media: he’ll only fight again if it’s in a stadium.
The 36-year-old Irish fighter has been out of action since 2021, when he suffered a brutal leg break against Dustin Poirier. His planned return last June fizzled after a toe injury in training forced him out—talk about bad luck with limbs. Since then, McGregor’s been dabbling in politics and stirring up drama online, but the itch to fight clearly remains.
Fresh off the buzz of WrestleMania 41 packing Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, McGregor took to X to share his one demand. "I’ll only come back to a stadium," he declared, sending his fanbase into a frenzy and probably giving UFC CEO Dana White a headache.
Here’s the twist: Dana White has repeatedly shot down the idea of stadium fights, citing production headaches and a drop in fan experience. As he told reporters, "When I put on a live event on Saturdays, I want the best in-house experience people can possibly have, and I want the same experience on television. ... I just don’t understand why I would need to do a stadium. For what? I can get more people in there? It just doesn’t interest me." White doubled down before UFC 306, which took place at the Sphere in Las Vegas, saying it’d likely be the last event of its kind—so don’t hold your breath for a change of heart.
But McGregor’s not backing down. After his stadium ultimatum, he reignited his rivalry with Michael Chandler, saying they have "unfinished business." Chandler fired back with a post of his own, keeping fight fans on edge and speculation swirling.
With egos clashing and the spotlight waiting, it’s anybody’s guess whether McGregor will get his stadium spectacle—or if the only thing returning will be his legendary social media trash talk.
Editor's Comments
You gotta love Conor’s style—he won’t step into the cage unless it’s literally a stadium-sized stage. Somewhere, Dana White’s probably drawing up blueprints for a UFC fight on the moon just to avoid the stadium drama. At this point, McGregor’s comebacks are starting to feel like New Year’s resolutions: big talk, epic hype, and you just hope this time he actually shows up.
— Sarah Johnson
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