VIDEO | Manager updates on Conor McGregor’s fighting future: “We’re in the red zone”

Conor McGregor is a free man. During a Thursday court appearance, the Irish MMA star was cleared of all felony charges, and handed a few minor punishments for his infamous April rampage in Brooklyn.

With his legal situation squared away, McGregor can now focus on fighting — if he chooses to fight again, that is.

Based on the comments of his manager Audie Attar, that seems likely.

“Things are off to a good start,” Attar told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani shortly after Thursday’s court proceedings ended, discussing negotiations between McGregor and the UFC. “I think it’s just about getting back to a place where everyone’s happy. Because at the end of the day, we had a great relationship. We’ve done great things together. We’ve made history together. There’s no point that that shouldn’t be continued.”

When pressed about his use of the word “had” rather than “have,” Attar elaborated on McGregor’s relationship with the UFC.

“I wouldn’t say it’s not good,” he said. “When you go through something like this, it can put things on pause. Now it’s just about continuing to work on that relationship, continuing to get back doing good business. I think that’s what everybody’s about.”

Attar also updated on the timeframe for McGregor’s return. He, like the rest of us, has heard the rumors.

“I’ve heard October, I’ve heard November, I’ve heard December,” Attar said. “The reality of it is, none of them are real until the deal is finalized.”

“I’m confident that he wants to fight again this year,” Attar continued. “Whether he fights again this year is dependent on us getting the final deal done.”

Attar then used a football metaphor to describe our current proximity to Conor McGregor’s next fight.

“We’re in the red zone,” he said.

Needless to say, it sounds like Conor McGregor and his team are both keen on negotiating a new UFC deal and getting back in the cage. Time will tell if it actually happens.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 7/26/2018.