Joe Rogan has shared his two cents about the purported signs that Conor McGregor may never compete in the UFC again. The Irishman has not fought inside the Octagon since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier.
He pulled out of a scheduled fight with Michael Chandler, citing a painful toe injury. According to Rogan, he is showing clear signs of never wanting to put himself through the ordeal of a fight camp again.
Joe Rogan Doesn’t See Conor McGregor Returning to the UFC
Former UFC Featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria recently appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast. Speaking to Rogan on episode #166 of the “JRE MMA Show,” Topuria asks Rogan whether he sees Conor McGregor fighting again.
The UFC color commentator responded by alluding to McGregor’s MMA hiatus, which dates back to his leg break at UFC 264 in July 2021. He also referenced the toe injury-induced withdrawal from his scheduled welterweight bout against Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024.
Rogan stated, “If I had a bet, no … ‘Cause he hasn’t come back yet. And he could have, you know. If he really wanted to, he would’ve been back in the gym, had a fight scheduled, drug tested, clean, training, gone through a camp, had a fight.”
The podcast mogul implied that McGregor should’ve focused on recovering from his toe injury and had his comeback fight rescheduled, like most fighters do. The fact that he did not proves that McGregor’s heart may no longer be in the sport.
The 36-year-old’s legal battles and luxurious lifestyle are also indicative of his potential UFC comeback being unlikely.
Rogan said, “Okay. Why should you fight on a broken toe, especially a guy who moves a lot like Conor? He relies on movement so much. Yeah. I get it.”
“So heal that toe up. What’s that? That’s two months. Broken toe is two months. And so then you’re back in camp. And then you reschedule a fight, and then you fight again. But he didn’t. And also partying, constant partying. All these legal problems that he has, you know. Scooting around on yachts and driving around a Lamborghini. He’s wealthy.”
In response to Topuria suggesting that the Irishman was “done,” Rogan opined, “Maybe. I mean, what’s really sad is if he comes back when he’s like 39 or 40, and his body just doesn’t have it anymore.”
As of this time, former UFC Featherweight and Lightweight Champion McGregor’s next opponent and comeback date remain shrouded in mystery. ‘The Notorious’ has also lately been busy launching his supposed political career, lobbying to become the president of Ireland. He even met Donald Trump at the White House on St. Patrick’s Day.
Meanwhile, Topuria vacated his featherweight belt earlier this year and has vowed to become the UFC Lightweight Champion. In a recent appearance on the “PBD Podcast,” ‘La Leyenda’ suggested that his next fight, ideally for lightweight gold, could transpire in the summer, perhaps in Sept. 2025. Nevertheless, he implied that it hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Watch Rogan discuss the topic below (42:23):