Former Bellator and ONE championship champion Ben Askren has expressed doubts about Conor McGregor's return to the octagon, citing the former UFC double champion’s struggles with drug addiction.
Askren stated on Daniel Cormier's YouTube channel:
It’s pretty obvious, to me, that Conor McGregor is an addict. And he is rich enough that it doesn’t really have a hugely negative impact on his life. But this guy clearly is out partying, can’t show up for training camp. And then because he can’t show up for training camp, he can’t get ready for a fight. I’ve watched videos enough to know that this guy is out of control…and from all rumors, he’s on multiple substances.
It's worth noting that McGregor was scheduled to return at UFC 301 in July to face Michael Chandler. However, he had to withdraw from the event after breaking his toe a month before the fight.
McGregor's last appearance was against Dustin Poirier in July 2021 at UFC 264, where he lost by technical knockout due to a leg injury. His mixed martial arts record consists of 22 wins and 6 losses.