Just a few weeks before Conor McGregor’s UFC return, he apparently no-showed an interview with Stephen A. Smith for ESPN on Tuesday, June 16.
Page Six reports that McGregor no-showed Smith on ESPN on June 16. He was supposed to appear on First Take, but that did not happen.
The outlet reached out to McGregor’s team, who did not provide a reason for his absence. He similarly did this to Good Morning America, which is owned by Disney, in 2023. It’s unknown if the two incidents are related aside from that.
Conor McGregor’s UFC return fight
On July 11, 2026, McGregor will make his return to the Octagon for a rematch against Max Holloway at UFC 329. This marks his first fight since July 20, 2021. That was the night he lost to Dustin Poirier for the second time in a row. This is his only losing streak in his MMA career.
His return has been a long time coming. During his fighting hiatus, he served as a coach of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023, going against Michael Chandler.
Additionally, in 2024, he appeared in the Jake Gyllenhaal-led reboot of Road House directed by Doug Liman. He played Knox, the movie’s antagonist. This was his first major Hollywood role. He previously had an uncredited role in The Escapist in 2008. That came out before his rise in popularity in the UFC occurred.
During his UFC career, McGregor has won the Featherweight and Lightweight Championships once. He held both titles simultaneously, becoming the first UFC fighter to do so.
It appears his career is winding down. He recently revealed that he is contracted for two fights, with the second coming in April 2027.
His upcoming fight against Holloway has been a long time coming. They last fought on Aug. 17, 2013, in Boston, Massachusetts. McGregor won that fight, and now Holloway will be seeking to avenge the loss.
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