Conor McGregor Says He'll Announce Fight Date, Opponent for UFC Return on January 1

Conor McGregor is ready to make his highly anticipated UFC return.

The Irishman revealed Saturday that he intends to announce his fight date and opponent on Jan. 1, 2024. He also hyped up fans by writing that his comeback will be the "greatest" in sports history.

The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion hasn't fought since he suffered a horrific leg injury during his first-round loss to Dustin Poirier in their trilogy fight at UFC 264 in July 2021.

Additionally, he hasn't won since a knockout victory over Donald Cerrone in January 2020.

McGregor's posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, come just days after he indicated in an interview with Gareth Davies for TalkSport at the Day of Reckoning boxing event in Saudi Arabia that his patience with the UFC was growing thin while waiting for a return to the Octagon.

"Give me something. I was supposed to be back in April. It was supposed to be December. For all the figures I've brought in this game, I sold more than all of them combined, yeah? McGregor said. "I sold more than all of them combined. No one in the history of the fight game has ever been treated the way I'm getting treated this minute."

He added: "I'm waiting, and me patience is wearing thin on me waiting, yeah."

Following McGregor's comments in Saudi Arabia, UFC president Dana White told reporters that talks were underway with the 35-year-old regarding a return to the ring in 2024.

MMA Fighting's Damon Martin reported Friday that a bout between McGregor and Michael Chandler is "still the plan" for UFC 300 at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena in April. Three bouts have already been announced, but the main event has yet to be revealed.

Chandler, for one, is hoping to step into the ring with McGregor this spring, posting on X:

A McGregor-Chandler bout was touted for 2023, but the Irishman didn't re-enter the United States Anti-Doping Agency testing pool until October, complicating a potential fight. Fighters must spend at least six months in the testing pool and must return two negative tests before being eligible to compete.

However, the UFC's partnership with the USADA is ending on Jan. 1, 2024, meaning McGregor will be eligible to fight sooner than the six-month mark. White previously stated he was going to hire an independent company for future drug testing.

If McGregor steps into the ring at UFC 300, he will join a card that features Jiří Procházka vs. Aleksandar Rakić, Aljamain Sterling vs. Calvin Kattar and Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage.