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Conor McGregor is the biggest star in the UFC and, indeed, all of MMA. Thus, it comes as no surprise that his presence in the sport has been sorely missed ever since he was forced to rest on the sidelines to nurse the most devastating injury of his career. At UFC 264, he snapped his lower shin in half against Dustin Poirier.
Since then, fans have awaited the Irishman's return. However, what may surprise some is that there have been several instances when McGregor was nowhere to be found in the UFC. Whether it was due to disputes with the promotion or something else, this isn't the first time he has left a void in the UFC.
Sometimes, his personal plans simply don't align with what the MMA fandom and the UFC want for him. In other cases, it is due to the promotion saving him for a fairly unremarkable event that would have been a dud without him as its headline act.
#5. Conor McGregor's cold war with the UFC
After losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov on Oct. 6, 2018, at UFC 229, Conor McGregor's next challenge was of great interest to MMA fans. However, the Irishman did not fight again until Jan. 18, 2020, when he TKO'd Donald Cerrone within 40 seconds of Round 1.
Check out Conor McGregor demanding an ownership stake in the UFC in the clip below:
His absence during that time was owed to his frosty relationship with the UFC after his proposal that he be given an ownership stake in the company was rejected. This caused McGregor to announce his retirement in protest. Despite his announcement, his retirement did not last and was one of several.
Still, he was absent from the octagon, and all of 2019 went without a McGregor bout, especially given that at the time, the Irishman was chasing a rematch with Nurmagomedov whenever he wasn't engaged with the UFC in a cold war.
#4. Conor McGregor's absence during the UFC's first COVID year
After his 40-second destruction of Donald Cerrone, Conor McGregor sought to embark on a season of fights inside the octagon, culminating in a lightweight title rematch against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Unfortunately, his plans were halted when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the sports world.
Barred by government restrictions from hosting events with large crowds, the UFC saw no point in booking McGregor for fights at the UFC Apex. Despite the Irishman's insistence, the UFC refused to feature him in matchups behind closed doors. In frustration, he announced yet another retirement.
For an entire year, between Jan. 19, 2020, and Jan. 23, 2021, McGregor took part in no fight. While he eventually returned against Dustin Poirier, it was not triumphant, and he suffered a stunning TKO loss at UFC 257.
#3. Conor McGregor's two-year sabbatical
One of Conor McGregor's most notable absences took place at the height of his professional career. After enthroning himself as the first simultaneous UFC two-division champion in history, he faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a boxing match that earned him a career-high purse that remains unmatched to this day.
From 2016 to most of 2018, he was nowhere to be found in the UFC. Part of it was due to his preparation to face Mayweather, who he ultimately lost to via 10th-round TKO. Afterward, many wondered if McGregor would even return to MMA, given the amount of money he'd made in boxing.
While his long sabbatical from MMA finally ended after he returned to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in a grudge match, the period of inactivity was still a notable stretch when some wondered if he had made too much money with Mayweather for his own good. In fact, it is a question that many still ask to this day.
#2. Conor McGregor's disappointing 2023
Conor McGregor's return bout is scheduled to be against Michael Chandler. The pair's matchup was first revealed back in February 2023. However, their fight never took place last year. Instead, the Irishman spent the year embroiled in USADA struggles while calling out everyone under the sun besides Chandler.
This eventually led to Chandler's frustrations boiling over. However, McGregor himself also grew frustrated with his perceived mistreatment by USADA. Thus, despite fan expectations as well as his role as a coach on 'The Ultimate Fighter' Season 31, McGregor was never given an official date in 2023 for his octagon return.
Many, in fact, wondered if McGregor would ever return to fighting at all. Not only was he calling out countless other fighters, which seemed to indicate a lack of focus on his part, but he was also seen drinking and partying more than usual.
#1. Conor McGregor gets pulled from UFC 200
UFC 200 cycled through several different headlines. However, its original main event was Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz in a rematch of their UFC 196 clash, which saw the Stockton star stun the Irishman in a massive upset by submitting him in Round 2.
Unfortunately, McGregor's subsequent desire to focus on his training and forsake most of his media obligations caused him and the UFC to butt heads. UFC CEO Dana White was adamant that no fighter was above the MMA promotion and that they all had to honor their pre-fight media duties.
However, McGregor refused and was pulled from UFC 200, which left a massive hole in what was meant to be the marquee pay-per-view for the promotion in 2016. In protest, the Irishman briefly retired from the sport but soon returned.
