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- Conor McGregor has not returned to UFC since his boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
- Dana White on Tuesday said McGregor may never fight again.
- White said money may be a big factor in McGregor’s decision whether or not to return to UFC.
Three months after his blockbuster boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Conor McGregor’s future in UFC is unknown.
Dana White told reporters on Tuesday that the two sides were negotiating a fight for the end of the year, but said McGregor isn’t ready.
White also suggested that money, particularly the $100 million payday McGregor received from the Mayweather bout, has factored into his slow comeback.
“The guy’s got a f—ing $100 million,” White said, adding, “And fighting is the worst. Try to get up and get punched in the face for a living when you’ve got $100 million in the bank.”
White said, “I’ve got guys that made less than that, and were lawyers, and went to school their whole life and quit working.”
McGregor hasn’t fought in UFC since winning the 155-pound title in November 2016 by knocking out Eddie Alvarez and hasn’t defended the title. White did not say when UFC would consider stripping him of the title, but said they’re prepared to move on with or without McGregor.
“At the end of the day, I’m going to run this business with or without anybody,” White said. “If Conor wants to fight again, we absolutely want Conor to come back. But if Conor walks away and doesn’t fight again, it’s part of the game.
“We need to figure that out. Right now, with him, it’s not about defend or vacate. We’re working on a new deal with him. We’ve got to work out this new deal.”
White also addressed recent questionable behavior from McGregor, namely when he charged a referee at a recent Bellator fight.
“Conor is a rich kid who is a god in Ireland. That’s not the healthiest environment,” White said.
Ultimately, White and UFC are left waiting to see if McGregor returns to fighting.
“Money changes everything,with a lot of people,” he said. “We’ll see.”
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