Return of the Mac: Conor McGregor to face Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone in January UFC comeback

Conor McGregor will make his UFC return in a fight with Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone in Las Vegas on January 18, UFC boss Dana White has confirmed.

McGregor and Cerrone will meet in a welterweight bout at T-Mobile Arena on a card titled UFC 246.

McGregor, 31, has not been in action since suffering a fourth-round defeat to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in October of 2018.

On a trip to Russia in October of this year, McGregor outlined his plan for a three-fight return in 2020 which he says will culminate in a rematch with Nurmagomedov.

First he must go through Cerrone, 36, who last fought in September when he suffered a first-round knockout defeat to Justin Gaethje.

UFC chief Dana White confirmed to ESPN that McGregor had signed for the fight and that Cerrone was "ready to go."

McGregor has suffered injury problems in a comeback attempt that had stalled this year, also facing legal woes after facing an assault charge for punching a man in a Dublin pub. The New York Times has also reported he is facing two sexual assault charges in his homeland – which he firmly denies.

The former two-weight world champion will be stepping back up to welterweight to throw down with Cerrone. McGregor fought in the division to take on Nate Diaz in a mammoth double-header in 2016.

Cerrone is a firm favorite among MMA fans for his all-guns-blazing style. He has history with McGregor after the pair traded barbs at a press conference ahead of the Notorious' fight with Jose Aldo in 2015.

The pair will now finally have the chance to settle their differences in the octagon as McGregor embarks on what he has vowed will be an epic 2020.