The former dual-weight Irish champion, Conor McGregor, has not been fighting since July 2021 and is currently busy shooting his upcoming Hollywood action film, “Road House.”

But every combat sports admirer is waiting for the Notorious’ return to the UFC this year, and the process has already started. 

Conor’s longtime coach, John Kavanagh, recently confirmed his return to MMA Hour. 

“I’d be willing to bet my house on it. I was actually just chatting with him yesterday or the day before, and then Audie [Attar] was in town. Yeah, I think there’s some interesting negotiations going along now. I absolutely can’t say anything beyond that, but I’m very, very confident that we’ll see Conor back in the octagon this year.”

According to the World MMA Awards’ Coach of the Year 2017, Mystic Mac’s opponent should have exceptional skill because Conor has money and belts, and only a better opponent could inspire him to return to training.

“What’s it going to be? A couple million more? Is that really going to motivate him? I don’t think so. He has a couple championship belts. Is that it? I don’t think so. So I think it’s more going to be a particular opponent, a particular skill set and how it matches up against him.”

Nate Diaz, Justin Gaethje, and Michael Chandler are a few names that Kavanagh mentioned as possible opponents for Conor, but he thinks facing Dustin Poirier would be a weird matchup for the Irish fighter.

“You’ve got the great Nate Diaz is obviously in there. Justin Gaethje would be a very interesting matchup, somebody he hasn’t fought before. The  Poirier fight, we’ve done that so many times at this stage and it’s just a weird one. Michael Chandler, a great fighter, a great athlete. They’re all brilliant. They’re all going to bring something different to the contest.”