Conor McGregor pushed for UFC rule change that hasn't been in use since 2019
Conor McGregor pushed for a major UFC rule change that hasn't been in use since 2019, according to a new report.
McGregor hasn't fought in the UFC since he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier in 2021, losing by TKO via doctor stoppage as a result.
There have been numerous attempts at a comeback, with a proposed fight against Michael Chandler last year cancelled late on after McGregor suffered an injury in training.
He officially returned to the UFC's drug testing pool last August, and was linked with a potential inclusion on the Freedom 250 card due to be held at the White House on June 14.
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That date has seemingly proven too early for McGregor, with Ariel Helwani claiming that he is instead nearing a return fight against Max Holloway in July.
"As of right now, they're on the goal line," he said on The Ariel Helwani Show. "They're on the goal line right now. Goal line. I've never said it's signed, sealed and delivered.
"Something awful has to happen for this fight not to come to fruition on July 11th. A massive, massive 11th hour atomic bomb of a right turn will have to happen. As of right now, there is none of that."
READ MORE: Conor McGregor return 'on the goal line' with opponent and date confirmed
Now, the New York Post has shed further light on McGregor's comeback plans - including a remarkable claim about what his team attempted to do two years ago.
They report that, according to a source with 'knowledge of the situation', McGregor's camp had 'been pushing' for his initially planned comeback fight in 2024 to span across three rounds rather than the usual five.
While most UFC fights are ran across three five-minute rounds, headlining main events - which is what McGregor's return fight would surely be - or title fights are ran across five rounds.
His fight against Holloway is expected to be across the full five rounds, and there is no suggestion that anything different has been put forward by either party this time around.
A three-round main event hasn't been seen in the UFC since February 2019, when Israel Adesanya defeated Anderson Silva at UFC 234.
Adesanya versus Silva wasn't originally pencilled in as the main event, but the last-minute cancellation of the fight between Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum led to the UFC moving it up to main event status without changing the amount of rounds.
What have the UFC said about McGregor's comeback?
UFC president Dana White appeared on The Jim Rome Show earlier this month to give an update on McGregor's return to the Octagon - and said that the company are in a 'great place' with the Irishman.
"I'm extremely confident that Conor will fight this year," White said. "I'm extremely confident that we'll get him dialled in and ready to roll.
"He's training, there's footage out there of him in training right now.
"We haven't announced anything yet. He'll fight this summer. Let me just start there. He'll fight this summer.
"I thought it would happen last year. It didn't. I'm extremely confident it will happen this summer. He seems motivated, he's training."
Topics:Â Conor McGregor, UFC
Ryan Smart