UFC's Conor McGregor Eyeing 7 Fights in 18 Months 'If They Line Me Up'

Having enjoyed some extended hiatuses from the UFC, Conor McGregor is apparently looking to make up for lost time.

"The truth is the fight game will never get rid of me," McGregor said on the ESPN+ series Stephen A's World. "Conor McGregor will be here until the day I go out. So that's it. If they line me up, I'll get about seven fights in the next year-and-a-half. That's what I want."

The former featherweight and lightweight champion said he wants a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov but acknowledged the unbeaten star could choose to remain retired, thus denying him the opportunity.

McGregor went on to say he has four fights remaining on his current UFC contract, which he'd be willing to fulfill in the first quarter of this year.

Since defeating Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in November 2016, McGregor has had two fights in UFC. His third is coming Saturday at UFC 257 against Dustin Poirier.

His encounter with Floyd Mayweather, a lengthy suspension stemming from a brawl after his loss to Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, and his retirement all help explain his limited usage in recent years.

Even if the 32-year-old is ready to make a full-time commitment to the UFC again, fighting seven times in 18 months is improbable.

Since becoming a professional in 2008, McGregor has had one year in which he logged five bouts and another with four. But those were both early into his career, well before he had joined UFC and become the biggest star in MMA. He was also younger, having put wear and tear onto his body over the proceeding years.

Seven shows in a year-and-a-half might be overly ambitious. Fans would probably settle for getting to see McGregor two or three times annually again.