UFC 296 prediction: Will Conor McGregor shine in his potential comeback fight?

Conor McGregor's return to action is one the most anticipated events in the mixed martial arts world.

McGregor has not fought since 2021 after back-to-back losses against Dustin Poirier. Earlier this year, it was announced that he would star in The Ultimate Fighter as a coach for the second time in his career. He would feature opposite UFC lightweight Michael Chandler, and the two were slated to fight in the season finale.

An extended controversy with the United States Anti-Doping Agency and McGregor's absence from the testing pool has stalled any further news on his bout against Chandler. While we await further developments on this front, it is interesting to delve into how 'The Notorious' will fare in his comeback fight considering his opponent will be Michael Chandler.

The foremost factor that stacks monumentally against Conor McGregor is his serious lack of momentum. He has fought only three times in the past five years. After losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in 2018, McGregor made a comeback against an aging Donald Cerrone and scored a quick victory.

The win against 'Cowboy' remains his only win since 2016 and is considered one of the easiest matchups of his career. Ring rust will certainly play a part in a potential matchup against Michael Chandler, who has been far more active over the last two years.

'Iron Mike' has fought five times in the last five years against the best names in the lightweight division, including Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.

Conor McGregor is also returning from injury that caused him to retire in his trilogy fight against Poirier at UFC 264. He broke his tibia in the first round of the main event, was examined by the ringside doctor, and rendered ineligible to continue.

However, it is Conor McGregor's first loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 that is very telling of what to expect from him. In the two-round affair, Poirier hemmed McGregor in and against the cage exposing his susceptibility to pressure. 'The Diamond' also dealt with McGregor's strikes easily, suggesting that the renowned southpaw no longer packed the same punch as he did in his heyday.

'The Notorious' sluggish strikes and poor defense facilitated the technical knockout as Poirier overwhelmed him with clean punches to the face and downed him.

Check out the full UFC 257 main event on YouTube below:

There are also questions surrounding his current weight class, as the former lightweight champion has gained dramatically in his time away from the octagon. He also teased a return to welterweight, which is the only division he has found success in, in the past five years.

Check out a few of his posts in which he is buffer than ever:

It is difficult to fathom a potential return where Conor McGregor exhibits the same high-level striking and movement that won him his success. However, he will continue to be one of the biggest draws in the combat sports world, and there is no doubt that his return will create an immense buzz.

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What is the status of Conor McGregor's return to the octagon?

In recent weeks, Conor McGregor has amped up the pressure on the UFC by leveling allegations against them for not letting him compete.

Amidst fan speculation of yet another year gone by without McGregor returning to action, 'The Notorious' spurred hope amongst MMA fans by claiming he wanted to fight in December. In a series of now-deleted voice notes, he claimed he was trying his hardest and stated his readiness to fight in December.

"They’re not going to let me fight in December, ladies and gentlemen. I’m ready. I wanted the announcement. I’ve given everything. It doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. I thought we [confirmed it] but turns out, maybe it’s not so much. I hold the power and I’m going to keep doing my thing. I’m in a great spot and I’ll see yous all soon."

He also cheekily posted pictures from a training session and tagged the UFC, stating that he was ready.

More recently, Conor McGregor posted a screenshot from UFC Fight Pass website displaying UFC 296: Chandler vs McGregor on December 16.

Check out a screenshot of the deleted tweet below:

McGregor's deleted tweet revealing UFC 296 card details. [via Twitter @thenotoriousmma]

The screenshot was dismissed as fake by UFC president Dana White in a press conference appearance after Dana White's Contender Series. White denied knowledge or any further developments on Conor McGregor's upcoming bout.

“I don't know how that got out or whatever, it wasn't from Fight Pass. My team was telling me it was AI, it wasn't real. Obviously, if that was the case, you would have heard it from us first. You would have got a report from me on Instagram. I have no clue, we'll see how this plays out."

Check out his comments below [5:06]: