UFC chief Dana White has confirmed Conor McGregor “definitely” wants to return to the cage next year.
The MMA superstar has been on the sidelines for the last 16 months after suffering a horrific leg break in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.
MMA superstar Conor McGregor is eyeing a return to the octagon next yearSportsfile
ReutersThe Irishman has been on the sidelines for the last 16 months after breaking his leg[/caption]
instagramA jacked McGregor has ramped up his training following his filming of Road House[/caption]
UFC president Dana White is ready to welcome McGregor back into the foldGetty
McGregor, 34, is in the final stages of returning to fighting fitness and is seemingly champing at the bit to get back inside the octagon – regularly posting training footage to his social media channels.
White said of The Notorious last week: “He’s been posting videos of himself training and he’s just done filming a movie.
“He definitely wants to come back next year.”
White’s comments came after McGregor – who has undergone a dramatic body transformation over the last few months – declared himself to be “back” as he posted a video of himself grappling.
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He said: “S*** hot everywhere. The real GOAT [Greatest of All Time]. There’s not a place I’m not great.
“Some of your GOATs can’t even kick. Watch my wrist work here.
“At some points, you see my opponent has the illusion of the control of my wrist but I use this silliness to open doors with it. I open the door to go right into full mount.
“Then later I open the door right to the rib cage for my knee to land flush. It’s using the opponents control of your wrist as a lever.
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“Watch and see can you see. Leave a comment and tag your pal, the Mac is back, with another lesson on defend and attack.”
Former two-division champion McGregor is targeting a return to action early next year, although he needs to be in USADA’s testing pool for six months before he can return – unless he’s given an exemption by the UFC brass.
Ireland’s first and only UFC champion said late last month: “I’m going to be back soon, hopefully.
“Early 2023 I’m aiming for. Sometime in that first quarter.
“That will give me a good couple of months [to prepare].
“Once I wrap this up [filming Road House] in a couple of days, get the camp going [for] a good couple of months. And get going.”