Dana White has attempted to explain why Conor McGregor hasn’t fought for the UFC in almost three years.

‘Notorious’ broke his leg during a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, but he’s been fully fit for well over a year and begging for a comeback date.

McGregor’s last fight ended in disasterCredit: Getty

In February 2023, it was announced that McGregor would fight lightweight contender Michael Chandler, and the pair filmed a series of the MMA reality show ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ together.

A year later, White still doesn’t know when the two men will clash.

The UFC CEO recently suggested his biggest star won’t return until Autumn, even though McGregor has announced he will fight Chandler at UFC 302 on June 29.

Now, White has revealed two key reasons for the delay.

“First of all, he is coming back from one of the nastiest injuries you can come back from,” he told Kevin Iole.

“How long was Anderson Silva out when he did it? How long was Chris Weidman out when he did it? The guys who break that bone [are out for a long time], so that’s an issue right there, No. 1.

“No. 2 is, Conor McGregor doesn’t need the f****** money. So, when you don’t need the money, it’s not as easy. Khabib [Nurmagomedov] doesn’t need the money – Khabib retired.”

The MMA mogul went on to suggest that despite McGregor’s public pleas for a fight, it is ‘Mystic Mac’ who is preventing the UFC from booking an official comeback bout.

Chandler has been waiting for his ‘Red Panty Night’ with McGregorCredit: @TheNotoriousMMA – Twitter

White is struggling to get the fight over the lineCredit: Getty

White added: “Only Conor knows (when he’s ready).

“These are questions for Conor McGregor, not me. I know he’s training.

“I don’t know what level of training he’s doing. I don’t know what level of kicking he’s doing right now. I don’t know any of that stuff. I need to know the guy’s in a full camp and he’s ready to go.

“Conor McGregor has a movie coming out. He’s got businesses that he’s built. It’s a completely different dynamic when you’re dealing with a guy that has this kind of money.”

McGregor hasn’t responded to White’s latest comments on his return.

But he still appears intent on fighting as soon as possible. McGregor has set up a full-sized Octagon in his back garden and has been sharing footage from sparring sessions online.