Conor McGregor Next Fight Odds: Will McGregor Fight in UFC in 2024?

Author ImageAuthor: | Last Updated: February 2024
Conor McGregor UFC

Conor McGregor’s next fight will be one of the biggest events in UFC history. The outspoken Irishman has drawn historic crowds and set PPV buy records in the past. He has been out of action for a while, but rumors are circulating of a potential return to The Octagon.

If you bet on the UFC online, you can easily compare odds for McGregor’s return to the UFC. Sportsbooks have early lines on his potential opponents, too. Some budding stars in the UFC have called out the legend as well.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about McGregor’s potential return. I will break down the latest Conor McGregor odds and tell you my thoughts on how McGregor would fair in a potential return.

When is Conor McGregor’s Next Fight?

McGregor was the first fighter in UFC history to become a champion in two weight classes concurrently. However, he is just 1-3 in his last four appearances in The Octagon. If the former double champion does return, it would be one of the biggest events of the MMA calendar.

Why Has McGreggor Not Been Fighting?

It has been a while since fans have been able to watch McGregor live in a UFC fight. He is just 1-3 in his last four fights, with his only win during that stretch coming against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246.

Two of those losses came in back-to-back fights against Dustin Poirier.

In their last fight at UFC 264, McGregor suffered a broken tibia. The shocking leg injury ended the fight after the first round.

McGregor’s injury could have ended his career, so you cannot blame him for taking all the time he needs to heal up correctly. The Irish star has also taken his quick wit and fighting skills to the big screen. McGregor is starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2024 remake of the hit movie Roadhouse.

Will Conor McGregor Fight in the UFC in 2024?

  • Yes (-130)
  • No (-110)

It has been over two-and-a-half years since McGregor broke his leg at UFC 264 in July 2021. BetUS has McGregor listed at -130 to return to the UFC this year. You can also bet against McGregor’s return at -110 odds.

Rumors about McGregor’s return have been circulating for a while now. He even appeared as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter last year. The opposing coach was Michael Chandler, and the duo seemed more than willing to fight each other in a UFC match.

There is also a lot of time left in 2024, and no event is specified for this bet. As long as McGregor returns before 2025, the yes option in this wager hits. I would bet on “yes” and hope McGregor is willing to step into The Octagon again before this year is over.

Prediction: Conor McGregor will fight in 2024 (-130)

McGregor Next Opponent Odds

IF and when McGregor does return, there is no shortage of exciting opponents for him to face. BetUS already has early betting odds on two potential opponents: Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler.

Early Conor McGregor vs. Justin Gaethje Odds

  • Conor McGregor (+170)
  • Justin Gaethje (-260)

Former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje is a -260 favorite in the latest Conor McGregor odds. Like McGregor, Gaethje is best known for his exciting striking-based combat style. Gaethje is currently scheduled to fight Max Holloway at UFC 300.

Both McGregor and Gaethje have 19 KO wins in their respective careers. However, Gaethje is also a skilled wrestler.

McGregor has struggled with grapplers, and that is a big reason he is a +170 underdog in this potential matchup. Gaethje has also been the more active fighter, having competed four times since we last saw McGregor. He is 3-1 across that span and is currently the #2 ranked UFC fighter in the Lightweight division.

Despite his skills, Gaethje has never been able to get over the hump and become the undisputed champion. He lost to both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveria via submission when the title was on the line. If McGregor comes back in peak form, he could knock off Gaethje in a slugfest.

Early Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler Odds

  • Conor McGregor (-125)
  • Michael Chandler (-115)

The other potential fight that BetUS already has odds for is McGregor vs. Michael Chandler. A matchup with Chandler would make a lot of sense for Conor McGregor’s UFC return. As I mentioned above, the two faced off as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter season 31.

Chandler was an impressive 18-5 in Bellator before coming to the UFC. However, he has gone just 2-3 in his five appearances in The Octagon. He is currently the #5 ranked UFC fighter in the Lightweight division.

McGregor is actually a slight favorite at -125 over Chandler (-115) at most sports betting sites. The Irishman would have a size and reach advantage over Chandler. However, Chandler has earned seven of his 23 career wins by submission, which could be an issue for McGregor.

Chandler also has 11 KO wins and could prove a point by standing and striking with McGregor. If that is the case, then I believe McGregor would get the better of Chandler.

Will McGregor Fight for a Title in 2024?

McGregor has not fought in years, but that would not necessarily prevent him from stepping into a title shot. UFC great Georges St. Pierre came out of retirement after four years and beat then-UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping. McGregor has competed in three weight classes in the UFC, and all three champions could fight McGregor for the payday alone.

Ilia Topuria

Newly crowned UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria (15-0) has not wasted any time in calling out his next opponents. Topuria has challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov and current UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev.

He also called out McGregor multiple times at UFC 298. Topuria has made it clear that he wants to move up to 155 pounds, which is good news for a potential matchup with McGregor. It is unlikely that McGregor could make the weight cut to get down to Featherweight again.

Topuria just won the belt, so it is hard to imagine he can fight McGregor without defending the Featherweight title, at least. There are plenty of exciting fights in the division, too, including a matchup with the#5 ranked Featherweight, the undefeated Movsar Evloev (18-0).

If Topuria does fight McGregor, it would be challenging to pick against the champion. He has 13 finishes in his 15 career wins, and Topuria just stopped Volkanovski. McGregor would have the size and reach advantages, but seemingly everything else would be in favor of Topuria.

Islam Makhachev

McGregor has spent most of his recent time in The Octagon competing at Lightweight. The current champion at 155 pounds is Islam Makhachev (25-1). The champion has won 13 straight fights, with his only loss, a first-round KO, coming at UFC 192 back in 2015.

Makhachev is 14-1 in the UFC and has cleared out most of the Lightweight division.

He is arguably the toughest opponent that McGregor could face in his return. Makhachev is currently the top-ranked fighter in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.

The style matchup in this fight would favor Makhachev. He has 11 submission wins in his career and would have a huge grappling advantage. It would be a huge payday on both sides, and I believe Makhachev would be the winner of this potential matchup.

Leon Edwards

Last but not least, there is UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards. McGregor has fought twice at 170 pounds in the UFC, with both fights coming against Nate Diaz. Edwards beat Diaz at UFC 263 in his last fight before becoming the Welterweight champion.

So far, Edwards has defended his title twice, with both of his wins coming by decision. He beat Kamaru Usman in their rematch and then defeated Colby Covington.

Edwards has just 10 finishes in his 22 career wins, including seven KOs and three submissions. His low finish rate is one reason why Edwards has been criticized as a “boring” fighter. A matchup between Edwards and McGregor could be an exciting striking exhibition.

The build-up before the match would also give Edwards a chance to prove doubters who have called him a boring champion wrong. Fighting a true Welterweight like Edwards would likely be too much for McGregor to overcome in his return.

Who Will Conor McGregor’s Next Fight Be Against?

Rumors of Conor McGregor’s UFC return have picked up steam as of late. If the Irish fighter does decide to compete again, there are plenty of exciting matchups to make.

Check out the list above to see the latest Conor McGregor odds for his return and the potential opponents he could face. Then, head over to BetUS Sportsbook to bet on McGregor’s potential return to the Octagon.

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About the Author

Shaun Stack is a senior writer at GamblingSites.org. His gambling articles have appeared in the Daily Herald, Space Coast Daily, and NJ 101.5. He’s a football betting expert, a Survivor fan, and a skilled blackjack gambler. Shaun is a native of Kansas City but now lives in Pennsylvania and follows the Pittsburgh Steelers religiously.