CNN  — 

Conor McGregor says he will make his long-awaited comeback to UFC on January 18, 2020.

The 31-year-old has been out of action since 2018 when he was defeated by Khabib Nurmagomedov, but he says he will return at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

McGregor refused to disclose the name of his opponent.

“As far as the opponent, I have the opponent’s name, but from the game I’m in and from experience, if I was to give you his name, which I would love to do, I know the UFC would flip it because they are a craft company,” he told a news conference in Moscow, Russia.

“Ask the UFC who the opponent is because I do not give a f**k who the opponent is. I am going to go through the entire roster like a chainsaw through butter.”

McGregor after being defeated by Nurmagomedov.

The Irishman says the January bout will be just the start of his season, with plans to fight the winner of Nate Diaz versus Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 and then the winner of Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson.

After describing a rematch with Nurmagomedov as “inevitable,” the former two-time UFC champion had some strong words for the Russian.

“The people of Russia deserve this rematch to take place here in Moscow,” McGregor said.

“And it will happen. However, I am not waiting around for that man. That man is a known pull-out, a known fearer of risk.

“He is afraid of the Moscow bout for whatever reason. He’s running from the fight in Russia. The public want it. The people want it. His own father wants it. He’s afraid of risk. A man who fears risk will conquer nothing long-lasting. There will be no longevity in his career.

“Where is he now in this country? I fly in, he flies out. Typical.”

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McGregor and his son, Conor,  attend Super Bowl LIII between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams.

Although he’s not competed in the UFC in over a year, McGregor hasn’t struggled to make the headlines, often for the wrong reasons.

A video released on social media in August appeared to show the Irishman punching a man in the head in the Marble Arch pub in Dublin.

The incident took place a month after McGregor was arrested for allegedly smashing a fan’s phone in Miami, USA. Charges were later dropped.