Dana White's cryptic response fuels speculation about Conor McGregor vs. Canelo Alvarez fight

Dana White's latest response in regards to Conor McGregor potentially fighting Canelo Alvarez appears to have left fans with more questions than answers.

'The Notorious' is currently preparing for his octagon return, having been away from the sport since 2021 after he suffered a leg break against Dustin Poirier. He was then set to face Michael Chandler earlier this year, but a broken toe during his training camp forced him out of the fight.

Whilst fans will have been hoping Conor McGregor's MMA return will see him once again become an active fighter, the latest rumors have suggested that the Irishman could be eyeing another go in the squared circle after he faces Chandler.

Over recent months, McGregor and super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez have been trading back-and-forth on social media and in interviews. The pair have also both expressed an interest in fighting one another, providing the money is right.

Dana White was then asked about a potential McGregor vs. Alvarez boxing bout during a recent interview with MMA journalist Manouk Akopyan. While the UFC CEO has historically said he'd never be interested in doing another cross-promotion, his response wasn't as categoric as some might have expected.

White started his reply by smiling and jokingly pretend he didn't hear the question. He said:

"Having trouble with the audio over here...Haha I heard ya! Let's bookmark that one for 2025. Let's put a pin in that."

Check out Dana White's response here (11:00):

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Sean O'Malley claims he can overtake Conor McGregor as MMA's biggest star

Sean O'Malley has weighed in on his own star power in the UFC, stating that he believes he can overtake Conor McGregor and become the biggest name in MMA.

'Suga' is currently preparing to defend his bantamweight title at the upcoming Noche UFC 306 pay-per-view this weekend. According to Dana White, the event has already broken the record for the highest gate in UFC history.

Ahead of his bout this weekend, O'Malley spoke to press at the pre-fight media day. The 29-year-old was asked where he believes he compares in regards to the star power of Conor McGregor, to which he stated he expects to overtake McGregor, especially if the Irishman loses his return bout. He said:

"I think I'm very close. I think Conor [McGregor] still got one more big fight in him 'cause there's a big question mark. Like, can Conor come back? Can he actually beat [Michael] Chandler?...If he goes out there and loses his next fight...it's gotta die down eventually. Maybe not. That just tests how big of a star he is, but I would assume he goes out there, if he loses, I'm there. I'm the guy. I'm the number one."

Check out Sean O'Malley's comments here: