Conor McGregor has never been one to downplay the scale of a fight camp, but this time he’s presenting it as nothing short of a military-style mission. With the UFC’s historic White House event scheduled for 2026, and him confirming his presence with his latest live appearance on Fox News, where he said, “Done deal. Signed, delivered. McGregor will compete in the White House,” the Irishman believes the next six months will define his long-awaited return.
To him, this is more than just training; it’s a “six-month operation,” a grind that requires complete attention, sacrifice, and complete isolation from the rest of the world. After all, the stakes have never been higher for the Irishman. Conor McGregor has not competed since 2021, when his trilogy match with Dustin Poirier ended in a serious leg break.
Add to that the frustration of a broken toe that derailed his return earlier this year, and it’s easy to see why he’s putting so much effort into this preparation. For McGregor, the White House fight is more than just another night under the lights; it’s an opportunity to erase years of disappointment and remind the world why he became the UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion.
Speaking with TheMacLife, McGregor explained his mindset. “I have eight months and change out to the White House event. It’s a six-month operation to get ready for this belt.” He added that, unlike previous camps, he will be shutting out all distractions. “There will be a period of isolation for sure where the phone will not be answered, and all my people involved with me understand that it is coming.”
For ‘The Notorious,’ this strategy is not an option; it is survival in a sport that punishes even the slightest lapse. That laser focus stems from harsh lessons. Conor McGregor confessed he was in excellent shape for his canceled Michael Chandler fight, only to have it ruined by what he characterized as a “slight lapse in concentration” that resulted in injury.
Correcting these minor errors is now the foundation of his return. “I wish to correct that and show what I’m about,” he said, citing discipline and detail as the keys to avoiding another false start. This version of Conor McGregor, he maintains, knows the body’s limitations and the dangers of distraction. But what about fighting for BKFC while still under contract with UFC?
Is Conor McGregor all set to sideline his $400 million venture?
Conor McGregor’s dedication to his UFC return also requires putting BKFC on hold. Despite possessing a major stake in the $400 million promotion, he has made it clear that the “six-month operation” does not allow for divided attention. Bare-knuckle fighting will have its time, but right now, the comeback takes priority. When asked if he’d balance both, ‘The Notorious’ revealed that he hasn’t discussed it with the UFC yet.
He recalled past exhibition offers that never materialized, emphasizing that the bare-knuckle route had not been seriously considered. With the UFC entering into a new $7.7 billion broadcasting deal with Paramount, effectively ending the pay-per-view era in which he once thrived, he understands that his return will take place under an entirely different financial model.
“The entire landscape of the UFC model is now complete,” McGregor stated while remaining open to what comes next. That is not to say he is completely disregarding bare-knuckle. Conor McGregor describes it as a natural fit and says he’ll be watching BKFC 82 intently as Mike Perry and Jeremy Stephens compete in the main event. Both want him, and he admits he’ll be sizing them up. But until the White House card is over, his focus is fixed: business initiatives and bare-knuckle goals will have to wait.