UFC president Dana White thinks it is "a bad idea" for Conor McGregor to chase a fight with Jorge Masvidal.

McGregor will make his return to the octagon after over a year away when he takes on Donald Cerrone at welterweight at UFC 246 on January 18.

Announcing his comeback in October, the Irishman said he wanted to fight the victor of Masvidal's UFC 244 bout with Nate Diaz – which the former won with a third-round TKO – before a rematch with lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov to close his 2020 season.

However, White has urged McGregor to reconsider his desire to take on Masvidal.

"I think it's a bad idea, but Conor gets p****d off when I say it is a bad idea. He's like, 'You think I can't beat Masvidal?', and that whole thing," White told ESPN.

"I'm not saying that you can't beat Masvidal, anybody can beat anybody on any given day, but why? Why go after that fight when you could possibly just wait?

"This is the reason that Conor McGregor is so intriguing and why so many fans love to watch him fight. And you've got to love the fact that a guy is willing to fight anybody.

"I've said this a million times, I'll say it again, I've been in the trenches and when we're standing in the living room and fights pull out, Conor McGregor will fight anybody."

Masvidal's victory over Diaz earned him the new BMF title, which White thinks is behind McGregor's desire for the bout.

"Conor wants that belt from Masvidal," said White. "I did it as a one-off, it was fun, it was awesome. We'll see what happens."