Conor McGregor Reportedly Declines UFC White House Fight Opportunity Against Mauricio Ruffy
Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor has reportedly turned down an opportunity to fight rising Brazilian lightweight Mauricio Ruffy at a historic UFC event scheduled to take place at the White House on June 14. This claim was made by Ruffy himself during a recent podcast interview, where he revealed that discussions about a possible matchup had taken place earlier, but McGregor ultimately decided not to move forward with the bout.
Ruffy Reveals McGregor's Decision on Podcast
Mauricio Ruffy recently spoke about the situation during an appearance on the Overdogs Brazil podcast with former UFC champion Glover Teixeira. The Brazilian explained that the idea of a fight with McGregor had been discussed within the promotion. However, he suggested that the final call rested with the Irish superstar, who decided not to accept the matchup.
"The possibility of fighting McGregor had been explored by the promotion," Ruffy stated. "However, the Irish fighter had the final say regarding the matchup and ultimately chose not to go ahead with it. Because of that decision, I did not strongly expect the fight to happen."
Historic White House Event Details
The card was officially revealed by UFC president Dana White and quickly generated huge excitement among MMA fans. The event will be headlined by a lightweight title clash between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje. Plans to stage the event were first announced by former US President Donald Trump, who proposed holding a UFC event on the South Lawn of the White House.
Many top fighters, including McGregor and Jon Jones, publicly showed interest in participating in the historic card. The 29-year-old Ruffy has repeatedly called for a bout against McGregor, particularly after scoring an impressive knockout victory over Rafael Fiziev last month, when he again challenged the former champion.
Ruffy's Perspective on Potential Matchups
Ruffy stated that UFC executives had seen his fighting style and abilities, and he believed a fight against McGregor or Paddy Pimblett would be entertaining for fans. "UFC executives have seen what I can do in the octagon," Ruffy explained. "A fight against someone like McGregor or Pimblett would definitely deliver excitement for the fans."
McGregor's Fighting Status and Future Plans
McGregor has not competed since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg during his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier. Since then, fans have been eagerly waiting for his return to the octagon. The Irish fighter had earlier been scheduled to face Michael Chandler after both served as rival coaches on the reality show The Ultimate Fighter, but the fight was cancelled after McGregor withdrew due to injury.
Despite missing the White House card, McGregor is still planning to return later this year. He recently indicated that a comeback could happen during International Fight Week, keeping hope alive for his numerous fans worldwide.
The historic White House event represents a significant moment for mixed martial arts, bringing the sport to one of the world's most recognizable venues. While McGregor won't be part of this particular card, his potential return later in the year continues to generate speculation and excitement throughout the MMA community.
