Is Conor McGregor going to be present at UFC 286? What did Dana White have to say about 'The Notorious' attending the event in London?

Conor McGregor suffered a gruesome leg injury in his previous octagon outing, losing to Dustin Poirier via first-round TKO in their lightweight bout in July 2021. McGregor hasn't competed ever since.

That said, 'The Notorious' is expected to make his long-awaited return later this year. McGregor recently completed filming The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 31 alongside rival TUF coach and UFC star Michael Chandler.

It's believed that McGregor's comeback fight will see him face Chandler at welterweight, possibly in September. Meanwhile, UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards is scheduled to defend his title against Kamaru Usman at UFC 286 in London, England, on March 18.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on a recent edition of The MMA Hour, McGregor addressed the possibility of attending UFC 286 and potentially fighting the winner of the Edwards vs. Usman matchup for the welterweight belt.

He suggested that he'd like to attend UFC 286, highlighting that his teammate Gunnar Nelson is competing at the event. Additionally, expressing interest in a title shot against the Edwards-Usman winner, McGregor stated:

"Yeah, I'd like so. I would like that. I may be present for the [UFC 286] card. We're making moves at the Black Forge in London, and I was scheduled to go out there after this. 'Gunni' [Gunnar Nelson] is also on the card. So, it would be good to see him live, and it would be good to watch that welterweight title for sure."

Check out McGregor's comments below:

During a media scrum ahead of UFC 286, UFC president Dana White was asked about Conor McGregor's aforementioned comments and whether 'The Notorious' will be at UFC 286. White responded by stating:

"We have seats for him [McGregor]. So, he's running around. He's on a big PR tour right now... He did like, a pop-up here for his bar, and Proper Twelve, and all the stuff he's got going on. But yeah, we have seats for him, if and when he shows."

Watch White discuss the topic at 8:10 in the video below:

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Conor McGregor is at a crossroads ahead of UFC return against Michael Chandler

Conor McGregor is on a two-fight losing streak, the first losing streak of his professional MMA career. The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion is seemingly primed to face the No. 5-ranked UFC lightweight Michael Chandler in a welterweight matchup next. Many foresee the Chandler matchup as a crossroads fight for 'The Notorious'.

It's believed that a victory in the pivotal showdown could catapult Conor McGregor into the UFC welterweight title picture and possibly earn him a fight against the Edwards-Usman winner. Alternatively, a loss against Chandler could severely dent McGregor's aspirations to win welterweight gold and would further extend his losing streak.