What happened: Conor McGregor sat for back-to-back American talk-show appearances, including the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, to talk up a planned return to fighting and was met with warm crowd reactions. Irish MMA commentator Sean Sheehan called the friendly scenes "bizarre," arguing the same interviews would land very differently if they happened in Ireland.

Why it matters: The split response — live crowds cheering in the US while online critics dismiss the appearances as rambling and "off the rails" — captures how polarized any comeback push will be. A favorable American media tour helps rebuild public momentum even as goodwill remains thinner closer to home, where scrutiny is sharper.

What to watch: Watch whether McGregor firms up a concrete opponent and date for the return fight he keeps teasing, and whether he books any UK or Irish media to test a tougher crowd.