ON THE CON-BACK
Conor McGregor set to make UFC return this summer 12 months after suffering horror leg break, says Dana White
CONOR McGREGOR is in line to make his UFC return this summer - 12 months after suffering his horror leg break.
The Irishman is still recovering from the tibia he broke seconds before the first round of his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier ended.
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But McGregor's rehabilitation progressing, UFC president Dana White is eyeing a summer comeback for The Notorious one.
White told "He's doing all the right things with his leg. I'm hoping he can come back this summer."
McGregor, who beat Poirier all the way back in 2014, was knocked out by the American in their January 2021 rematch.
But their trilogy decider ended in even more agony for the former double-champion, who required surgery for the gruesome injury.
McGregor had revealed he would be back sparring by April, allowing him to then start training camp again.
But who he faces on his eagerly-anticipated return remains a mystery.
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Nate Diaz, 36, who McGregor lost to in 2016 but won the rematch five months later, has just one fight left on his UFC deal.
And he has been in recent talks to fight Poirier, 33, which could be his final in the UFC and shelving a trilogy with McGregor.
UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, 32, just beat Poirier in December.
And soon after, Oliveira and McGregor both started calling each other out, fuelling rumours of a title fight.
That is despite McGregor not winning a lightweight fight since 2016 and Justin Gaethje, 33, currently ranked as the No1 contender.
But fellow UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush, 32, admitted the division is 'genuinely concerned' McGregor will be given an immediate shot at the belt.
Dariush told : “Honestly, I still think it might happen.
“We were actually genuinely concerned. We were like, this is going to be a joke. We’re going to get pushed back to 2023.
"So, I hope it doesn’t happen. I mean, if Charles wins or Justin wins, [and] they’re like, ‘I deserve a money fight,’ they might try to pull off that crap again.
"We’ll see. I hope not.”
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