Conor McGregor says he knows exactly when both of his remaining UFC fights will take place, and the second one is further out than most expected.
Speaking with Ariel Helwani on Tuesday, the former two-division champion revealed he is contracted for two bouts and that the dates are already set. The first is his comeback against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas. The second, according to McGregor, is locked in for April 2027.
“I am contracted and I have both dates. I have both dates for my fights. April 2027. It’s locked in,” McGregor said. “It’s almost a year later. That’s ridiculous to me.”
The roughly nine-month gap between fights clearly rankled the Irishman, who suggested the timing was baked into the deal before he fully grasped it.
“This is the way the contract was done. I’m like, huh? Just give me the f***ing contract, it gets to that stage,” McGregor said.
The confirmation adds hard detail to a timeline Helwani had previously framed as speculative. The veteran reporter had said McGregor held two fights on his current deal and projected the second for the first or second quarter of 2027. McGregor putting a firm April 2027 date on the record removes the guesswork.
On the deal itself, McGregor was measured. He suggested he settled for less than his peak value but framed the negotiation as a compromise both sides could live with, and made clear he wants his future to stay in the UFC.
“I’m happy to an extent. There’s a lot more there. I hope it’s with the UFC. I hope we come to something. I hope I get honored even more,” McGregor said. “It wasn’t that difficult. We met in the middle. We got a good, juicy one. Was it what I’m worth? Probably not. I’m a fair operator. I love the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and I’d love to continue.”
Those comments temper the free-agency speculation that has surrounded McGregor since his return was announced. Helwani had reported the UFC wanted an extension and that McGregor was non-committal, raising the prospect of streaming players like Netflix and Amazon bidding for him on the open market. BKFC president David Feldman, whose promotion McGregor holds an ownership stake in, has predicted a bare-knuckle move could follow the UFC run. McGregor’s latest words suggest he would rather re-sign than walk.
For now, the focus is the Holloway rematch, a fight that reverses their 2013 featherweight meeting and lands at welterweight more than four years after his last appearance. He has not competed since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.
“Bring it on, baby. The Mac is back and I’m going to put on a show here in this fight,” McGregor said.