Conor McGregor Seeks ‘Consistency’ in UFC Return, Hopes to Fight 3-4 Times Per Year

With the premiere of “The Ultimate Fighter 31” on Tuesday night, the countdown for Conor McGregor’s Octagon return begins in earnest.

“It’s time for me to immerse myself back in the game,” McGregor said in an interview on the UFC’s YouTube channel. “I’m excited to get back. I couldn’t turn down the offer.”

The former UFC two-division champion said that coaching on the long-running reality show was beneficial to his own development. McGregor previously served as a coach against Urijah Faber on “TUF 22” in 2015.

“I enjoyed myself the last time,” McGregor said. “For me when I start teaching, and I used to coach a boxing class [for John Kavangh] many years ago before I got into the UFC…me committing to coaching a class and coaching a couple of people, it almost forced me to dial in a bit more. I had to think about the technique. I had to think about the way I was gonna teach, why I was teaching. It just allowed me to actually get better. It works both ways. It’s helping me.”

Before McGregor can be officially booked against opposing “TUF 31” coach Michael Chandler, he must re-enter the USADA drug testing pool. UFC president Dana White recently offered a timeline that suggested that McGregor vs. Chandler could happen by December if all goes as planned.

When McGregor does step in the Octagon, it will be his first fight since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. He vowed that it will be “the greatest return in combat sports,” while also pointing toward a more consistent fighting schedule.

“What do I hope for in this world? I hope for a hundred more fights,” he said. “I hope for consistency. I hope for a run. I’ve had this on, off, on, off for the last while. I just want to get this nice consistency going. And I’m hoping now when I come back this is where it’s at.”

McGregor has fought just four times total after becoming a simultaneous two-division champ with his win over Eddie Alvarez in 2016. In an ideal world, he says he’d like to approach that number on a yearly basis.

Three (or) four [fights per year]. If we can get to where I need to get to, three or four is perfect,” McGregor said. “One is madness. And it’s been one on, one year off…Obviously with the leg it’s been a bit longer. It is what it is … I’m happy where I’m at, and I’m gonna keep doing my thing, keep training, keep getting better. I’m gonna keep focusing on what I can do. Sooner or later you’re going to be able to do everything. That’s kind of where I’m at. I’m in a great spot.”