Conor McGregor, the former UFC champion turned political provocateur, is training for what looks to be one of his toughest fights yet: securing a spot on the ballot for Ireland’s upcoming presidential election.

The 37-year-old announced his candidacy in March after appearing at the White House on St. Patrick’s Day alongside President Donald Trump. McGregor, his wife, children, and Elon Musk were photographed in the Oval Office, where rumors first started to float about the fighter running a campaign back in Ireland.

In an X post on Thursday, McGregor officially took the first step forward, announcing his plans to run in his home country’s election this fall.

Elon Musk almost immediately endorsed the campaign:

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Despite the viral online response, McGregor faces challenges in making his campaign legitimate. Under Irish law, a presidential hopeful must be nominated either by 20 members of the “Oireachtas” (the name for Ireland’s parliament) or four of the nation’s 31 “local authorities” (essentially Ireland’s county and city councils).

With just weeks to go before the September 24 deadline, McGregor has neither.

A survey conducted in March by Sky News, of 134 Irish lawmakers, found an almost unanimous rejection of his candidacy. Those who responded to the survey labeled him everything from “a misogynist” to “a thug.” Additionally, political scientists, including Eoin O’Malley of Dublin City University, have said bluntly that McGregor has “not a hope in hell” of securing the necessary endorsements to earn a spot in the presidential race.

Part of the pushback stems from McGregor’s extensive list of personal, highly public controversies.

The fighter was found civilly liable for sexual assault in Dublin in 2024, with a jury awarding €250,000 (roughly $293,000 USD) to the plaintiff, according to Time Magazine. That judgment was upheld another time, after an appeal from McGregor and his legal team earlier this summer.

Another sexual assault case was dropped back in 2023 by prosecutors in Miami. He also has other prior convictions for assault and enough repeated driving offenses to have lost his license completely.

Even if McGregor could somehow get his name on the ballot, Ireland’s presidential race is run through a single “transferable vote system,” which has somewhat rewarded candidates in the past who had a more calm, bipartisan appeal. That would make it very difficult for a polarizing figure like McGregor to collect enough second- and third-preference votes to win in Ireland’s electoral system.

For now, McGregor is relying on social media, urging his millions of followers to pressure local councillors into nominating him.

“If you are a councillor who feels your voice is ignored, your hands tied, and your community overlooked, then I ask you to stand with me. Nominate me, and I will give you the platform and power to be truly heard. If you want to vote for McGregor, it starts now. Call your local councillor today and demand change,” McGregor said.