Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Conor McGregor, UFC, MMA, Dana White
Ryan Smart
Conor McGregor's former team-mate has been cut from the UFC roster for a second time by president Dana White, it has been reported.
McGregor hasn't competed in the UFC since July 2021, when he lost via doctor's stoppage to Dustin Poirier in Las Vegas.
But one of his former team-mates has - and was knocked out by a single punch at UFC 315 on Saturday night.
Canadian bantamweight fighter Brad Katona lost to Bekzat Almakhan just one minute and four seconds into the first round of their fight in Quebec.
Katona was previously a part of Team McGregor, from the semi-finals onwards, when he took part in the 2023 edition of The Ultimate Fighter.
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He won the bantamweight bracket, becoming the only fighter to win The Ultimate Fighter on two occasions.
As per Borrachinha Depot, White has now decided to release the 33-year-old after back-to-back losses in the UFC.
Conor McGregor's UFC return was scheduled for June 26, 2024, with the Irishman to take on Michael Chandler at UFC 303.
The fight was due to take place at 170lbs and five rounds.
However, White announced two weeks prior to the fight that McGregor had been forced to withdraw due to an injury.
The fight has yet to be rescheduled, despite McGregor's claims that he still wanted to take on Chandler in a grudge match.
In an Instagram post following the announcement that the fight had been cancelled, McGregor confirmed that he had suffered a broken toe and would need time to recover before stepping back into the Octagon.
He stated: "It needs a few weeks and that's it. I couldn't justify to my team, or fans, that I make the walk hindered again. This next walk has got to be, and it will be, 100% Conor McGregor.
"Take the lesson and move forward. I will get this back. I've got to. I've got two fights left on my contract."
"I've got Bugattis and more yachts on my mind," he continued. "I'm coming to shine. I gotta just take my time."
As of now, McGregor is still yet to return to the Octagon. He has, however, expressed interest in entering the 2025 Irish presidential election as an independent candidate.
UFC president White last addressed a potential McGregor comeback in May - and it was not particularly good news for those hoping to see him fight again.
He told journalist Adam Glyn: "He's not fighting any time soon. I haven't talked to him in a minute. I don't know."
McGregor had earlier tagged the accounts of both White and TKO - who administer UFC events - in a series of Instagram posts, writing: "Let's get this show started."