SOURCES | Conor McGregor set for TUF coaching spot

Though it seems that he’s always in the headlines, Conor McGregor has officially returned to MMA news spotlight.

Last week, McGregor hinted that he had been offered a coaching job on The Ultimate Fighter, the UFC’s premier reality TV show. Fan buzz immediately spread like wildfire, wondering who the Irishman would be stood opposite from. Rumours circulated that lightweight contender Michael Chandler, somebody who promotional brass had seemingly tentatively placed the former two-weight champion against, could be serve as the other coach.

A post from former interim 155lb champion Tony Ferguson suggested a similar message as McGregor. This allowed fans to make the connection that the pair would serve as coaches against one another. Excitement was only heightened by a scheduled announcement from Dana White on Friday night, with many in the community expecting confirmation on their speculation. Nothing on McGregor or Ferguson was mentioned by the UFC president, however.

Sources close to news outlet SevereMMA have confirmed that McGregor was, indeed, offered the slot as a coach and has accepted. The UFC has yet to publicly confirm McGregor’s involvement with an upcoming season of TUF, nor has an opposing coach been announced. Whoever the fighter is, historical trends would suggest that McGregor would fight them near the date of the season finale. Online consensus still lies with Tony Ferguson, who has gone winless since 2019.

McGregor last appeared on The Ultimate Fighter in 2015, where he served opposite Urijah Faber, coaching Team Europe. Since his stint on the show, the superstar has gone on to win the undisputed featherweight and lightweight titles. His 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier, in which he snapped his leg in half, has left him sidelined, but he plans on making a 2023 return. This could be a sign that we’ll see ‘The Notorious’ back in the ring at some point this year.

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Who will McGregor coach against? Let us know in the comments!