“Time to let go of hope” — Conor McGregor keeps UFC fans waiting

Now even longtime UFC insiders are beginning to doubt it. And according to Chael Sonnen, people should stop expecting a July comeback altogether.

That comment alone reignited frustration across MMA social media within minutes.

Sonnen believes July is already gone

Conor McGregor hasn’t fought since UFC 264, the night his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier ended with one of the ugliest leg injuries in recent UFC history.

Since then, comeback dates have constantly shifted.

This week, former UFC title challenger and analyst Chael Sonnen suggested the Irish superstar likely won’t fight during International Fight Week after all. According to Sonnen, the delay could stretch several more months.

That changes the entire UFC calendar.

A McGregor return in July would’ve dominated Las Vegas fight week. Without him, the event suddenly feels very different.

Madison Square Garden now enters the conversation

Sonnen pointed toward another possibility instead: November in New York City.

That instantly got attention because Madison Square Garden has become one of the UFC’s biggest annual stages. If McGregor finally returns there, the atmosphere would probably be insane before the walkouts even begin.

And honestly, the UFC may prefer it that way.

McGregor’s comeback isn’t just another fight anymore. It’s a major business event. Every delay creates more speculation, more headlines and more anticipation.

According to recent ESPN MMA coverage, UFC executives still view McGregor as one of the sport’s biggest financial draws despite his long absence from competition.

Injuries and delays changed everything

The frustrating part for fans is that McGregor actually appeared close to returning several times already.

A planned fight against Michael Chandler nearly happened before another injury disrupted preparations again. Since then, updates have stayed vague while McGregor continued posting training footage online.

FSI247 recently covered McGregor’s latest comeback hints on social media, where fans immediately started dissecting every clip for signs of a return timeline.

Watching those videos, one thing still stands out: the explosiveness seems there. The movement looks sharp too. But training clips and real UFC fights are completely different worlds after such a long layoff.

Especially after a catastrophic leg break.

Nobody knows what fight comes next

The opponent situation remains unclear too.

At different points, names like Michael Chandler and Max Holloway have been linked to McGregor. None of it feels close to official yet. That uncertainty keeps feeding rumors almost weekly.

The UFC itself hasn’t fully committed publicly to a date either.

According to the official UFC rankings and event schedule, several major cards remain open later this year, which only fuels more speculation around where McGregor eventually lands.

For now, fans are left refreshing social media and waiting for another clue.

And after years of delays, some are clearly running out of patience.