Could Conor McGregor’s next fight actually take place outside the UFC?
The former two-division UFC champion wrote on social media on Tuesday that he has reached “tentative agreements” with billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s family to box Logan Paul in an exhibition bout in India. McGregor added that rumors of a fight with UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria are false – which Topuria confirmed – and he expects to pursue his UFC return after his potential fight with Paul.
The rumors of a fight with Topurio are false. I have made tentative arrangements with the Ambani family to meet Logan Paul at a boxing exhibition in India.
I agreed.
I will then look for my return to the Octagon.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 17, 2024
The rumors of a fight with Topurio are false. I have made tentative arrangements with the Ambani family to meet Logan Paul at a boxing exhibition in India.
I will then look for my return to the Octagon.
McGregor currently has a UFC contract for two more MMA fights. The Irishman has boxed before, memorably facing Floyd Mayweather in 2017 with the blessing of the UFC. That fight remains the best-selling pay-per-view of all time. Mayweather defeated McGregor via TKO in the 10th round.
Following McGregor’s comments, both Paul brothers responded on social media.
Logan Paul reposted McGregor’s tweet on his Instagram Stories with an eyeball emoji, while Jake Paul wrote that McGregor and the Irishman’s management team have been “desperately trying to get MVP to negotiate a fight between us.”
Now it all makes sense why Conor Mcgregor and his management team have been desperately trying to get MVP to negotiate a fight between us.
As we told them privately and I’m now saying it publicly… the only way we are willing to scout me against Conor in a professional boxing/MMA fight…
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) December 17, 2024
Now it all makes sense why Conor Mcgregor and his management team have been desperately trying to get MVP to negotiate a fight between us.
As we told them privately and I’m saying it publicly now… the only way we are willing to explore me versus Conor in a pro boxing/MMA fight is if Dana White/UFC is directly at the table or makes it clear that they are okay with discussions.
Conor is being washed. Needs the Paul. Logan does it the way he wants.
Ariel Helwani of Uncrowned reported on Tuesday’s “The Ariel Helwani Show” that there is “validity” in the statements made by both McGregor and Jake Paul.
“Will it actually happen in 2025? Who knows. Could it happen? We will find out. Is there truth to this? Yes, this is real,” Helwani said.
“Now when I say this is real, let’s be very clear: I’m not saying this is real. [like] it’s a done deal. I’m saying this isn’t him trolling or pulling this out of his back pocket. It’s a real topic that’s being talked about.”
Logan Paul has competed in four organized boxing matches across the professional and amateur ranks, including an unscored exhibition against Mayweather in 2021. Paul last defeated former McGregor teammate Dillon Danis via disqualification in a bizarre bout in October 2023.
McGregor is currently on an extended break from the UFC, having not competed since his July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier in which he suffered a broken leg.
In November, McGregor was found liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a civil trial following an incident at a Dublin hotel in 2018. As a result of the verdict, McGregor was ordered to pay Hand compensation of €248,603, 60. as a potential seven-figure sum for Hand’s legal fees.
Multiple retail giants in the UK and Ireland subsequently cut ties with all products associated with McGregor, and Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey – the alcohol brand founded by the fighter – announced that it no longer plans to use McGregor’s name or likeness in its marketing. . The official website for Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey remains offline at the time of writing.
Additionally, video game developer IO Interactive has distanced itself from McGregor and removed content featuring the former UFC champion from its “Hitman: World of Assassination” video game.
UFC CEO Dana White recently said he expects McGregor to return to the UFC by the end of 2025.
White also said at the post-fight press conference of UFC 310 on Saturday that UFC “has something in the works that you’ll never see coming before 2025, which literally started coming together last night.”
