Conor McGregor has announced he will finally be returning to the UFC, with the ‘Notorious One’ planning to take on Dan Hooker on February 1 in Saudi Arabia. McGregor has not featured in the octagon for over three years, with his last bout coming in July 2021.
The Irishman faced Dustin Poirier in a rematch at UFC 264, but like their previous meeting, it ended in defeat as McGregor suffered a brutal leg break in the first round. Since then one of the biggest names in the sport has been absent from the action, but this is soon set to change.
McGregor was in Marbella on Saturday evening for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and confirmed plans for his own comeback when making his way out of the Spanish venue. Asked by Bloody Elbow when fans could expect the comeback, he replied: “February first, Saudi Arabia.”
Pushed on who his opponent would be, the former world champion added: “Dan Hooker.” Hooker himself had previously confirmed his next fight plans in the report, but at the time failed to confirm whether that man would be McGregor, prior to the Irishman’s confirmation.
“I’ve got an opponent early next year that I’m focused on, he’s just a busy man,” Hooker said of McGregor. “From coming over here and seeing all the things that he’s got going on.
“If I had that amount of business and that much money I don’t think you’d catch me anywhere near a cage for the rest of my days.So I can understand. It kind of is what it is, I’m going to fight between January and March and you know me, it doesn’t really matter who that is. I always say yes.”
There had been hopes that McGregor would return at UFC 303 against Michael Chandler, however the Irishman was forced to pull out from the clash after breaking his toe.”It is absolutely gut wrenching,” McGregor said at the time.
“We had a lapse in concentration and engaged in a training session without wearing the full protective gear and I hit the toe off the elbow and broke the toe clean. It needs a few weeks – that’s it. I couldn’t justify to my team, or fans, that I make the walk hindered again.
“That walk has been seen. This next walk has got to be, and it will be, 100 percent Conor McGregor. The fans deserve it and we are getting close. A slight lapse in concentration and a nuisance of an injury was picked up. That’s it. Take the lesson and move forward. I will get this back.”
