Conor McGregor has thrown down the gauntlet to the UFC, challenging them to give him a "surprise" opponent as he vows to fight "absolutely anyone" in his return to the octagon.

Ready for Anything

The Irishman is no stranger to last-minute replacements, having famously faced Chad Mendes and Nate Diaz after pullouts in the past. Now, McGregor is gearing up for his much-anticipated return and is prepared to take on any challenger.

McGregor took to social media to express his willingness, saying, "I promise the UFC would never even have to announce to me who I am fighting, they could do a surprise announcement out of nowhere, a date, an opponent, completely out of the blue, absolutely anyone, at any time, and I'd be in the gym prepping tactics for it. This is legally binding."

Road to Recovery

McGregor, 35, has been sidelined since fracturing his leg during his fight against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Despite his injury, he has been eager to get back into the octagon and has recently re-entered the UFC's random drug testing program.

However, McGregor must complete six months of clean testing before he is eligible to fight again. UFC president Dana White hinted at a summer comeback for the former two-weight champion, saying, "He's good, he's ready. He wants to [fight]. He's got to sit out for the six months to get back into the drug-testing pool. So, realistically, could be looking at him next summer."

Delayed Plans

This timeline could potentially frustrate McGregor, who had hoped to face 37-year-old American Michael Chandler by April. During a trip to Saudi Arabia, McGregor expressed his preference for an earlier fight date, but acknowledged the need to build himself back up and put in a solid performance for his fans. He stated, "It's looking like April, mixed martial arts."

As fans eagerly await McGregor's return, it remains to be seen who the surprise opponent might be and when exactly the Irishman will step back into the octagon. One thing is for sure - McGregor is determined to make a statement and reclaim his spot as one of the UFC's biggest stars.