White Said McGregor–Logan Paul Was Unlikely
On January 15, 2025, Dana White rejected the idea of Conor McGregor boxing Logan Paul, answering “No” when asked about the proposed exhibition. White said he hoped McGregor would return to the Octagon in fall 2025, as MMA Fighting reported after the Pardon My Take interview. That timetable passed without a fight; McGregor eventually returned in July 2026 against Max Holloway.
The rumor began with McGregor’s December 2024 social-media post. He said he was in “preliminary agreements” with the Ambani family for an exhibition against Paul in India, and that he would seek a return to mixed martial arts afterward. That was McGregor’s account of discussions—not an announced or officially booked bout. The Associated Press reported the claim as preliminary negotiations.
White’s response came on the Pardon My Take podcast. He ruled out the Paul matchup and separately said he hoped McGregor would fight again in the fall. McGregor had not competed since breaking his leg in his July 2021 trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier; his scheduled June 2024 bout with Michael Chandler was canceled after McGregor sustained a toe injury, as the AP reported in its account of the proposed exhibition.
McGregor did return, but much later than White’s estimate. In the July 11, 2026 main event at T-Mobile Arena, Max Holloway defeated him by TKO at 1:09 of the first round after McGregor suffered a knee injury. The official event report records the stoppage. The bout with Paul never materialized, while the prediction that McGregor would resume competing for the promotion eventually proved right—several months after the fall window White had hoped for.
Sources
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
