Dana White Shuts Down Rumors of Conor McGregor’s Next Fight Not Being in the UFC

Conor McGregor can fight anyone right now, absolutely anyone he wants. That’s good and bad for the UFC. After making more money than his entire UFC career combined in one boxing match, everyone knew it was going to be difficult to get him back to the Octagon. The latest opponent for McGregor that has popped up is none other than Manny Pacquiao, who claimed he was in negotiations to box the Irishman in April. Dana White was quick to shut that down, citing it would result in a lawsuit, but went further last night on social media to put the final nail in the coffin.

He’s not Boxing anyone so calm down cry babies.

— Dana White (@danawhite) December 15, 2017

“My focus is getting back into the right ring or octagon. 2017 was historic. I have transcended both the sport of MMA and boxing. At this stage of my career, as it has been for the majority of my UFC career, potential opponents must lobby for fights with me. We could see Conor McGregor anywhere. I run the fight game, the fashion game, the whiskey game, or whatever the next business endeavor might be. I have every intention of fighting in 2018 if my compensation and business development endeavors accurately reflect my influence on combat sports.” — Conor McGregor speaking to Betsafe via The MacLife.

That’s vintage Dana White right there, responding to ‘doofs’ online. According to the boss, Conor McGregor is not boxing in his next fight, and will be fighting back home in the UFC. Does that mean that a deal for Tony Ferguson or another fighter has been done, or can we just take this with a grain of salt? As more time goes by, fans get more antsy about stripping McGregor’s second title due to inactivity. We’ll see how long the UFC can keep the title on Conor McGregor and how long it takes to get him back in the UFC. That is, if he ever fights again.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 12/15/2017.