Looking back at the sports world the last time Conor McGregor was in the OctagonJ.J. PostMay 17, 2026, 12:29 AM ETMultiple Authors
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Conor McGregor is back.
It has been a long road for the famed fighter, who last fought in UFC 264 back in 2021 when he lost to Dustin Poirier after suffering a broken leg. Since then, injuries and a suspension prevented his return to MMA, but it was verified Saturday night that mentioned comeback would be occurring on July 11 against Max Holloway in a welterweight matchup.
HE. IS. BACK.
Conor McGregor will make his return to the Octagon and fight Max Holloway on Jul. 11, @DanaWhite revealed on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/r1mAO0PN9y
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 17, 2026
McGregor — who in 2016 became the first fighter to hold UFC titles in two divisions simultaneously — is one of several big-name fighters who will be returning to mixed martial arts after an extended period over the next few months. On May 16, Most Valuable Promotions boasts a card absolutely stacked with blockbuster returns, with Ronda Rousey, Gina Carano, Francis Ngannou, Nate Diaz and Junior Dos Santos all coming back after time away from MMA.
The sports world was a bit different the last time McGregor stepped in the Octagon. Here’s what the lay of the land looked like around the time of his last fight — July 10, 2021.
Bucks hoist first championship in 50 years
The Milwaukee Bucks entered the 2021 NBA postseason in late May, riding a title drought that stretched back to 1971 — a streak that would end sooner rather than later. The third-seeded Bucks marched to the Finals, where they’d fall behind two games to none to the Phoenix Suns, but rallied to win four consecutive games — and the title. Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged a mammoth 37.3 points and 12.5 rebounds across the Bucks’ four wins to earn Finals MVP honors.
Messi wins his first major international trophy
One of soccer’s greatest players, Lionel Messii’s résumé of accomplishments is spectacularly long, but up until 2021 a title with the Argentinian national team had eluded him. Messi and Argentina finally got over the hump at the 2021 Copa América, with Argentina defeating Brazil 1-0 in the final the same night as McGregor’s fight. Messi tallied four goals and five assists at the tournament, and the success would prove contagious — Argentina would soon win both the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa América.
One of soccer’s all-time greats, Lionel Messi finally added a major international trophy to his expansive cabinet in July 2021. Photo by Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty ImagesItaly atop the European soccer worldThe day after McGregor’s most recent MMA fight, Italy defeated England 3-2 on penalties after the UEFA Euro 2020 final ended regulation in a 1-1 stalemate. The championship marked Italy’s second Euro title — and a brief flash of glory in a broader trend of Italian soccer struggles.Editor’s Picks
Explaining the five tumultuous years since Conor McGregor has fought in the UFC
In March, months before McGregor’s return was revealed, Italy’s loss on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a European playoff final verified the nation would miss its third consecutive World Cup.
Tampa Bay goes back-to-back in a unique Stanley Cup Final
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic produced an oddity in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs that we might never see again: two teams from the same conference meeting in the Final. The NHL scrapped the traditional conference setup for the shortened 2021 season, resulting in an eventual playoff bracket centered around a simplified temporary setup of four regional divisions. The championship ended up being an all Eastern time zone Stanley Cup Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens, which the Lightning won in five games — Game 5 came three days before McGregor’s fight — for their second straight title.
A shortened 2021 NHL season eschewed the league’s usual conference alignment, eventually producing an oddity we might never see again: a Stanley Cup Final contested by two traditional Eastern Conference teams. Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesThe start of a dynastic streak in college softballOklahoma softball was certainly no stranger to success before the Sooners won the 2021 Women’s College World Series — it was the program’s fifth national title, with the most recent having just been a few years before. What was new, however, was the remarkable streak that began that June: Oklahoma proceeded to win the next three Women’s College World Series afterward. It would be the first four-peat in college softball history — only one team had even previously won three in a row.
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