Conor McGregor is in fine shape and "looking great" ahead of his return to the octagon, according to the Irish fighter's coach John Kavanagh.
The 34-year-old was last in action at UFC 264 in July 2021, when a trilogy fight with bitter rival Dustin Poirier ended in defeat after McGregor suffered a nasty leg injury.
McGregor is back in training now, though, with Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler among the names linked for his comeback fight.
While the identity of his next opponent remains unclear, Kavanagh was quick to hail the impressive physical condition that McGregor has already achieved in the gym.
"He's healthy, happy and it's great to have him back," Kavanagh said. "He did a great session last night, we got some great rounds in. He hasn't lost a beat and was looking great."
McGregor's last fight with Poirier was at lightweight, but he has also competed at both featherweight and welterweight.
Kavanagh remains confident that his charge will be able to make whatever weight he chooses.
"Look, when we get to the stage of looking at weight classes and opponents there's nobody more professional than Conor at making weight and it will all be done properly," he added.
"When that silverback arm goes around your neck there's a bit of an extra squeeze there, so, he's very, very strong at the moment."
McGregor has previously come under scrutiny for his past actions and controversial comments at news conferences, but Kavanagh insists that his fighter does not always act like that.
"I always tell people, they see this kind of performance part of his persona," he continued.
"It's two or three times a year, at the press conferences and it's all very loud and glitzy and glamour and entertainment.
"It's the 52-weeks-of-the-year guy that part of me wishes some people would be more aware of. He's a very, very special part of the gym, as a whole, and I'll say my life."
Conor McGregor to make his long-awaited return to UFC on June 29
Conor McGregor will make his long-awaited return to UFC on June 29 after nearly three years out.
Dana White confirmed that the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion will fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June.
McGregor – who has 22 wins and six UFC defeats – has not competed in the UFC since July 2021 when he sustained a horrific leg break against Dustin Poirier, who he had previously fought and lost to six months earlier.
Speaking about the fight, White said on Saturday that McGregor’s return had been “all about timing”.
“There’s all kinds of things that go on behind the scenes and it’s all about timing. Chandler’s been ready but Conor hasn’t been ready,” White said.
“We talked about this in one of the press conferences recently, he had a lot of obligations that he had to deal with.
“What you don’t want him doing is accepting a fight when he’s got a ton of obligations and he can’t train 100 per cent for a fight, so here we are tonight.”
Dana White awards first ‘Bite of the Night’ bonus in UFC history after Vegas 89
UFC Vegas 89 was overshadowed after Igor Severino bit Andre Lima on the arm during their flyweight contest.
Severino was disqualified for biting in the second round of their preliminary card bout at UFC Apex in Nevada between the previously-undefeated fighters.
UFC president Dana White later claimed Severino would be released from UFC for the bite and doubled the bonus money of mixed martial artist Lima.
The disqualification of Severino by referee Chris Tognoni ensured Lima won the contest and claimed the first ‘Bite of the Night’ bonus in UFC history after scenes reminiscent of Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield’s ear at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in 1997.
Lima, who let out a yell after the incident, uploaded pictures of the bite and got a tattoo around the teeth marks on his bicep with the phrase, “I got f****** bit bonus”, hours after his victory.
UFC president White said on his Instagram story: “I was going to give him 25k. Now I’m giving him 50k. This is awesome.”
While Lima wrote on Instagram: “It was so insane I had to make it permanent. A debut to remember. Thanks boss Dana White! Ready for many more.”
Cedric Doumbe-Baki clash ‘the biggest prospect fight in all MMA’ – Dan Hardy
Former UFC star Dan Hardy has described Cedric Doumbe’s clash with Baysangur ‘Baki’ Chamsoudinov at PFL Paris as the “biggest prospect fight in all of mixed martial arts.”
The Professional Fighters League returns to the French capital where undefeated duo Doumbe and Baki face off in the welterweight division on Thursday evening.
The event between the two Frenchmen at the Accor Arena, for which tickets sold out almost instantly, comes after Doumbe’s impressive first-round victory over Jordan Zebo in September.
Hardy, now the PFL head of fighter operations, talked up the encounter, comparing poster boy Doumbe to the likes of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor.
“We’re very fortunate to have Cedric Doumbe and he makes my life very easy,” Hardy told the PA news agency.
“In terms or marketability and technical ability I don’t think there’s anyone who comes close to Cedric. I have to look at the likes of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor to find someone who has the same impact on the fans.
“The crowd in September was 90 per cent Doumbe but Baki (Chamsoudinov) this time will have a lot of support as well. He’s undefeated, he has Khamzat Chimaev in his corner, you know what to expect from both of these guys.
“To me, this is the biggest prospect fight that can be made in all of mixed martial arts right now.
“We’ve had to reorganise the arena to get more fans in.”
The Chechen-born Baki boasts a strong wrestling background which will test Doumbe’s stand-up style.
Hardy believes the fight could prove to be a risky one for 31-year-old Doumbe.
“Because he’s fighting Baki everyone feels that this is a fight in which he could potentially lose,” he said.
“Baki could take him down, control him against the fence and make him look like a beginner in MMA. We haven’t had those questions answered in Doumbe’s game yet.
“It’s a very risky fight for Doumbe. If I was his management then this is not the fight I would of picked for him. Baki’s taken this fight and is probably thinking ‘Doumbe is crazy, he’s a good fighter but he’s not fought anyone like me before’.
“If I was a cautious matchmaker trying to build Doumbe up then this is not a fight I would make. But I’m a former fighter who is an MMA fan and I want to see this fight.”
Hardy also sees the reasons why Doumbe would take on the 22-year-old Baki’s challenge.
“I can’t underestimate a fighter like Doumbe, he knows himself so well,” Hardy said. “He plays the range and psychological game really well and I just wonder if any of the games he’s playing leading into this fight will have any impact on Baki.
“Cedric has taken this fight because it’s a shortcut to the top. If he gets the win then he can start looking at champions and think ‘I want to fight you’.”
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