Conor McGregor Weighs in on UFC White House Card After Being Left Off Event

The much-anticipated return of Conor McGregor to the UFC octagon has hit another roadblock. Despite months of public lobbying to headline the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House, “The Notorious” was officially left off the card revealed during Saturday’s UFC 326 broadcast.

The 37-year-old Irishman, who hasn’t competed since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, appeared to take the snub in stride initially, praising the iconic nature of the June 14 event, but his patience with the promotion’s matchmaking appears to be wearing thin.

“Love it!” McGregor reacted on his Instagram story while sharing the full six-fight card. “Iconic! Worth every Red Cent!” However, his supportive tone shifted when addressing the UFC 326 headliner t at T-Mobile Arena this past weekend.

McGregor, who has long been linked to the BMF title, was critical of the main event between Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway. After Oliveira used a grappling-heavy strategy to secure a dominant 50-45 sweep of the scorecards, McGregor took to social media to scold the performance, labeling the clash as “shockingly bad.”

Oliveira’s dominance was a masterclass in wrestling, but it drew mixed reactions from the Las Vegas crowd and McGregor alike. Oliveira, now the fourth BMF champion in history, shut down Holloway’s striking by repeatedly taking the Hawaiian to the canvas. While the victory avenged a decade-old loss for him, McGregor’s critique highlights the growing friction between his expectations for “real action” and the current reality of the lightweight elite.

McGregor’s anti-doping suspension is set to lift on March 20. UFC CEO Dana White provided a discouraging update on the status of McGregor’s comeback negotiations during the UFC 326 post-fight press conference.

Despite McGregor’s claims that he has accepted multiple offers, White insisted that a deal is “not even close.” When asked about a specific return date for McGregor, White told reporters, “We have no date for Conor right now. Not even close.”