People are still waiting to hear official news, and that moment may be close. A new report says Conor McGregor is nearing a UFC return, with a possible opponent reportedly locked in. The story has added more buzz to the comeback talk, while the final deal and announcement are still not confirmed.

Per the report, a source close to the talks claims McGregor is very close to signing a deal to face former rival Max Holloway on July 11 at UFC 329, part of International Fight Week, scheduled at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The fighters are supposed to compete at welterweight, which means Holloway will fight at 170 pounds for the first time. However, no official word has come from the UFC or either camp yet.

This comes after Jed I. Goodman shared a post on X, which appears to reveal that Conor McGregor was the most tested fighter in the UFC in 2026. According to Goodman, a total of 637 fighters have been tested in 2026, with 1761 total samples collected till May 15. And McGregor tops the list with 11 total test sessions. This points toward a potential return for McGregor, and he even shared his thoughts on Goodman’s post. The test post did not confirm the fight, but it made the comeback chatter louder.

“Crazy,” McGregor wrote on X. “As well as who isn’t getting tested at all.”

In any case, McGregor is reportedly knee-deep in training, ready to make his comeback in just eight weeks. He fought Holloway back in 2013 and won the bout. If this fight actually happens, it will be five years since the former two-division champion last fought. Famously, ‘The Mac’ broke his tibia and fibula in his July 2021 trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier.

Additionally, the New York Post reported that McGregor’s team had been pushing for a three-round fight in 2024 rather than a five-round bout that is the norm in most UFC main events. Despite that, McGregor’s return this year is expected to be in a five-round fight. But the discussions over the number of rounds could be the reason an announcement hasn’t come yet. In any case, this is not the first time people have got their hopes up about McGregor’s return. 

Conor McGregor was previously supposed to return in 2024

The former two-division champion was expected to return last year in a fight against Michael Chandler. However, McGregor injured his toe in training, and the fight was called off. Chandler had been waiting ever since for a fight against ‘The Mac’ without any luck. 

When the UFC White House card was announced, McGregor made a lot of noise about featuring on the card with Chandler. However, when the smoke cleared, Chandler was the one who received a spot on the card, while McGregor was left hanging. 

Despite his apparent snub from the White House card, UFC CEO Dana White revealed earlier this week that he was “extremely confident” about McGregor’s return this summer. Yet he refused to name the opponent McGregor may end up facing. Adding to that, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani claimed that a fight between McGregor and Holloway was becoming increasingly likely ahead of UFC 328. 

As things stand, Conor McGregor may finally deliver what the fans have been asking for since his last bout. However, McGregor’s return has been cursed in the past, and until he enters the cage, some may remain skeptical. 

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