The highly anticipated return of Conor McGregor to the UFC Octagon, potentially set for a high-profile event next summer, appears to come with a significant caveat. After a prolonged absence from active competition, the former two-division champion is reportedly laying down conditions for his comeback, aimed directly at UFC President Dana White.
According to recent reports based on his social media activity, McGregor`s re-entry into the promotion is contingent upon Dana White signing his longtime teammate, Lee Hammond, to the official UFC roster. This is an interesting twist, given the context of McGregor`s potential return to active competition at a major showcase event.
The Teammate in Question: Lee Hammond`s Background
Lee Hammond, an Irish fighter who previously featured on The Ultimate Fighter coaching alongside McGregor, has been a training partner of the `Notorious` one for years at SBG Ireland. While he entered TUF with an undefeated professional record, his recent trajectory has been less stellar. Post-TUF, Hammond has reportedly suffered two consecutive professional losses. This sequence makes McGregor`s insistence on his signing a rather… unconventional request from a purely performance-based promotional standpoint.
The demand itself surfaced on social media, where McGregor explicitly stated that his return to the Octagon would *only* happen once Hammond was signed by the UFC. He directly tagged Dana White in his message, leaving no ambiguity about the target of his surprising ultimatum.
A Pattern of Loyalty? McGregor`s History of Championing Teammates
Throughout his career, McGregor has shown a degree of loyalty to his training partners, often using his considerable influence to help them gain opportunities within major MMA organizations. Several Irish fighters from his early days at SBG Ireland, such as Paddy Holohan and Cathal Pendred, joined the UFC roster following McGregor`s ascent. Later, Artem Lobov famously earned a spot on The Ultimate Fighter and the subsequent UFC roster, despite a win-loss record that might otherwise have made it difficult, largely due to his close association with McGregor. This current demand for Hammond`s signing appears to be another instance of McGregor leveraging his star power, albeit under circumstances (a mandated prerequisite for his *own* return) that elevate it beyond a simple recommendation.
Whether Dana White and the UFC brass will acquiesce to this specific demand remains to be seen. McGregor`s drawing power is undeniable, making his return a highly desirable event for the promotion. However, setting non-performance-based prerequisites, especially for a fighter with a recent losing streak, is an unusual negotiation tactic, even for `The Notorious.` This unexpected twist adds another layer of intrigue to the saga of Conor McGregor`s potential comeback, proving once again that with McGregor, things are rarely straightforward in the fight business.
Marcus Bellamy