Conor McGregor will return in 2024 and fight twice in eight months, says Jon Anik

LockerRoom Team

06 Jul 2024

Lead UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik remains hopeful about Conor McGregor's return to the octagon, despite recent setbacks. McGregor, who boasts a record of 22-6 in MMA and 10-4 in the UFC, withdrew from the highly-anticipated UFC 303 main event against Michael Chandler due to a broken pinkie toe, casting doubt on his future in the sport.

Anik, however, believes that McGregor, 35, still has a lot to offer and expects him to make a significant comeback. He envisions McGregor not only returning to fight but also competing multiple times once he is back.

“I’ve been waxing optimistic on Conor for a long time,” Anik told MMA Junkie and other reporters on the 2024 UFC Hall of Fame red carpet. “I fully expect him to compete in 2024, to come back at a high level. Fight twice in eight months. I know it sounds ridiculous and super ambitious to some people, but I just know the mixed martial arts athlete is in there, and I just remain hopeful that he’s going to come back and make more of an impact than anyone expects that he will.”

The UFC had to make swift adjustments to the UFC 303 card following McGregor's withdrawal. They successfully replaced the main event with a bout between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka for the light heavyweight title, along with other compelling matchups.

Although Anik would have preferred to call a McGregor fight on June 29, he praised the UFC for its ability to quickly adapt and deliver a strong event.

“I messaged Conor after UFC 300 and I said, ‘Only thing bigger than 300 is McGregor vs. anybody,’” Anik said. “So the biggest thing we can do is have a Conor McGregor-led pay-per-view. That’s not our reality at [UFC 303], but this company obviously comes to the rescue and is able to present a deeper pay-per-view.”

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Anik's optimism reflects the anticipation and excitement that a McGregor fight generates, as fans and the MMA community eagerly await the next chapter in the Irishman's storied career.