Dana White makes major Conor McGregor announcement as the UFC star immediately responds

Conor McGregor immediately responded after Dana White said the UFC superstar WON'T be fighting in 2024.

McGregor hasn't fought in the UFC since his crushing first-round defeat (doctor stoppage) to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 back in July 2021.

He was supposed to return to the famed Octagon at UFC 303 last month.

But a toe injury forced him to withdraw from his meeting against Michael Chandler.

McGregor had hoped to rearrange his welterweight bout against Chandler in December, with a UFC 310 card mooted for Las Vegas, Nevada.

However, White announced that the 'Notorious' will NOT be back this year.

At his Contender Series media scrum, he said: "We talked. We talked.

"We didn’t meet up but we talked, and yeah, he wants to fight. So, we’ll figure it out. [But] not this year. He won’t fight this year."

Well, McGregor wasted no time in responding to White's huge claim as he pleaded for a December date.

On X, he wrote: "Ah Dana, December is the date! Bring the calendar year home with a winning event! Come on now, what’s this? I am off to altitude next month to prepare. DECEMBER! Tell Dana and UFC WE WANT DECEMBER! WE DESERVE DECEMBER!"

Conor McGregor during a Bare Knuckle FC press conference. Image: Getty

McGregor, who has been contracted with the UFC since 2013, has just two fights left on his current deal as free agency looms.

But he's struggling to get booked in the UFC, having not fought for over three years.

Chandler, on the other hand, hasn't fought since his November 2022 defeat to Poirier.

He's 2-3 in the UFC following his switch from Bellator.

The 38-year-old American has been banking on a fight against the Irishman, which has yet to materialise.

He's eyeing a showdown against Max Holloway and a rematch with Justin Gaethje should he have to look elsewhere.