The uncertainty surrounding Conor McGregor‘s return to fighting in 2025 persists, with doubts about his UFC comeback and speculation about a potential boxing match against Logan Paul, driven by the financial allure and promotional buildup rather than the fight itself.
Is Conor McGregor stepping back into the ring in 2025? That’s the million-dollar question everyone’s asking.
The Irish sensation was supposed to fight Michael Chandler last July, but a broken toe put that on ice. Since his nasty leg injury against Dustin Poirier in 2021, McGregor’s been teasing a comeback. Yet, UFC CEO Dana White keeps pushing the date further into the future—now we’re looking at some time in 2025.
Then, out of left field, McGregor hinted at boxing Logan Paul. Matt Brown, a retired UFC welterweight, wasn’t too surprised. He’s been skeptical about McGregor’s return to MMA for quite a while.
“Does he fight at all? He probably gets in a street fight, I’ll call that one,” Brown quipped on The Fighter vs. The Writer. “Logan Paul? Who knows. I’m going to say I don’t know.
“In the UFC? Nah, that’s a hard no from me. Outside the UFC? Maybe, if they let him. But inside the octagon again? Nope.”
Brown used to be a lone wolf with these views on McGregor’s future. But as delays stack up, more folks are wondering if the former dual-weight champ will ever return.
McGregor’s legal troubles aren’t helping either. A jury in Ireland found him liable for sexual assault in a civil case.
Whether these issues make a comeback more or less likely is anyone’s guess. Brown thinks another boxing match is more probable than an MMA return—just like his bout with Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
“I’d love to see him back,” Brown admitted. “Get his life together and hit the gym again. But I’ve doubted his UFC return since early 2024. Fighting outside the UFC could still happen if he sorts out a deal. Remember, he’s still under contract.”
“There’s a fortune to be made fighting Logan Paul. Why wouldn’t he do it? No need to face killers like Islam Makhachev or Dustin Poirier when you can box someone who’s not even a pro.”
Brown knows boxing Paul is less risky than facing top-tier UFC fighters.
Plus, McGregor vs. Paul would thrive on hype rather than the actual bout.
“The Logan Paul fight isn’t about the bout itself,” Brown said. “It’s all about the buildup—the drama before the bell rings.”
“If he returns to the UFC, sure there’ll be hype, but it’s all about the fight then. Honestly, given Conor’s current lifestyle, I’d rather watch the theatrics leading up to a Logan Paul fight.”
Would the UFC back McGregor boxing instead of returning to MMA? Hard to say, but there’s serious money on the table with Paul.
That’s why Brown sees more potential in this boxing spectacle happening in 2025 than seeing “The Notorious” back in the octagon.
“Realistically, everyone wins,” Brown noted. “The UFC gets their cut and smiles all around.”