A few days ago, Dana White unveiled the first concept renders for the historic UFC White House card, scheduled for 2026 to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. White has already tapped Conor McGregor to headline the event, ruling out the possibility of Jon Jones making his Octagon return that night. McGregor, who recently withdrew from the Irish presidential race, is now fully focused on his comeback.
During an appearance on FOX & Friends, the former double champ confirmed he will headline the White House card against Michael Chandler. Now, ‘The Notorious’ has made more bold claims, revealing what it will take financially to motivate him for his first fight in over four years.
Conor McGregor Demands 100 Golden Visas and Record UFC Payday for White House Fight
For those unfamiliar, McGregor last fought at UFC 264 in his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier, which ended in disaster when McGregor broke his leg. The fight was over at the end of the first round owing to a TKO via doctor’s stoppage. However, recent signs indicate that his long sabbatical may finally be coming to an end.
The Irishman recently shared training footage on Instagram with a lengthy caption. “The Champ Champ returns!” McGregor wrote in the caption for the video. “Just over 8 months to UFC White House. I look forward to seeing my body shape up. My shot selection refining. My masterpiece to be painted.”
McGregor has expressed that he has a tremendous amount of built-up aggression that he is eager to release in the Octagon. He claimed that he has been training harder than ever and has increased the power behind his punches during recent preparations. The Irishman even described his strikes as fast and precise, comparing them to rockets flying through the air, and expressed excitement at the prospect of performing them live in a fight again.
In a subsequent message, McGregor claimed that his upcoming fight would make him the highest-paid fighter in UFC history, rivaling some of the biggest paydays in boxing. “$100 million to fight at the White House, along with 100 U.S ‘Golden Visas’ for myself and family and friends. I look very forward to entertaining the fighting world once again. A pleasure I never take for granted!”
While McGregor did earn over $100 million for his boxing bout against Floyd Mayweather in 2017, such a payday in the UFC is highly unlikely. The highest figure reportedly discussed by the promotion was around $30 million for Jon Jones’ heavyweight unification bout with Tom Aspinall, which never materialized after Jones backed out.
That said, McGregor remains one of the biggest draws in UFC history. He has sold nearly 14 million pay-per-view buys over his career, with his fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 generating nearly $200 million in PPV and gate revenue in 2018.
The 37-year-old said the rest of his payday would come in the form of 100 Golden Visas, each typically costing $1 million and granting permanent U.S. residency. Under Trump’s new Gold Card program, applicants can obtain U.S. residency for $1 million, or pay $5 million for up to 270 days in the U.S. without taxes on non-U.S. income (Trump Platinum card).
UFC 264, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 10/7/2021 Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor Conor McGregor leaves the cage on a stretcher after injuring his ankle Conor McGregor leaves the cage on a stretcher after injuring his ankle 10/7/2021 PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRLxFRAxNZL Copyright: x INPHO/TomxHoganx UFC264_543_Hoganphotos
Approved Gold Card holders receive permanent resident status through EB-1 or EB-2 visas, reserved for individuals with extraordinary ability or advanced professional degrees. McGregor’s demand is highly unrealistic, as even these high-value visas make such a payout unlikely.
After five years of seeing the Irishman flirt with a comeback only to step back, it increasingly appears that these statements may be another way for him to create headlines and buzz around a return that may never actually happen.