Conor McGregor’s UFC comeback buzzed back into headlines after Henry Cejudo dropped hints online that Brazilian knockout artist Carlos Prates could be in line as his opponent for the historic UFC card set for June 14, 2026, on the White House South Lawn.
Cejudo’s tease came hot on the heels of a since-deleted McGregor post about a possible “no-name” opponent. Fight fans quickly seized on surging welterweight Prates, the 2023 DWCS signee who’s racked up highlight-reel stoppages as a likely candidate. McGregor, meanwhile, keeps releasing training clips, offering hints and fodder for speculation, but he hasn’t confirmed any talks or named an opponent since his leg injury defeat to Dustin Poirier back in July 2021.
WATCH:
God makes no mistakes. pic.twitter.com/EMolESly3L
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 24, 2026
Prates, for his part, hasn’t played coy in interviews. He was blunt this week: “People are just speculating, but officially, nothing has reached us yet. I just want to fight, man. Obviously, my main goal is Jack Della Maddalena, a guy that takes me to the belt. But we’re open to [other] possibilities.”
The UFC has stacked massive expectations on the White House card. The event celebrates America’s 250th, drawing 3,000–5,000 VIPs to the South Lawn and getting prime-time coverage on CBS and Paramount+. Fans expect something big, and promoter Dana White hasn’t done anything to tamp down the intrigue. He says matchmaking is happening behind closed doors in D.C., with at least two options for McGregor’s comeback still on the table. Any talk of Colby Covington as McGregor’s foil, White batted away as wishful thinking.
Matchup talk has split MMA followers. There’s excitement about throwing McGregor into deep water against a fierce striker with nothing to lose. But there are also plenty who call it too risky, a tough ask coming off a major injury and such a long layoff for one of the UFC’s most bankable ex-champs. Even as attention swings to Prates, the Brazilian isn’t backing off his pursuit of a Della Maddalena title eliminator. He’s said, again, he’s down for whoever, but chasing the belt makes more sense in his camp’s eyes.
Right now, with McGregor serving the tail end of his retroactive anti-doping suspension that lifts in March 2026, talk is really all there is. The UFC’s White House card is a lock, but its centerpiece remains a mystery. McGregor’s return is coming, and until Dana White hands over a signed contract and a fight poster, fans will argue about almost every possible matchup, with Prates circling that conversation as one of the most intriguing wildcards.
