CONOR McGREGOR flew out to Amsterdam over the weekend to socialise with friends at one of its most plush pubs.
The MMA icon spent a chunk of one evening in the well-known Lost in Amsterdam cocktail bar, located in the heart of the Dutch capital.
@thenotoriousmmaThe bar has of course already got a festive feel to it[/caption]
The UFC superstar was decked out in a tracksuit while wearing a flashy looking watch
@thenotoriousmmaFriends smile for the camera[/caption]
@thenotoriousmmaThere were a few snaps taken outside too[/caption]
He continues to look bigger than he has at any point in his MMA career
The 34-year-old had been back home since just before Halloween when he returned from his filming commitments in the Dominican Republic.
In the time since, he’s spent plenty of time catching up with friends at his Crumlin pub.
He’s also shared a bunch of more wholesome pics with fiancée Dee Devlin and their kids including school runs and even an evening on the couch watching The Late Late Toy Show.
As for when he might finally return to the octagon, The Notorious has put it out there that he’ll be available for drug testing come February.
He hasn’t been tested by the United States Anti-Doping agency since the fallout of his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier last July.
He had recently left USADA’s testing pool – meaning he’d have to re-enrol for a minimum of six months before being eligible to compete again.
But the former two-weight world champ is seemingly planning to make use of the power the UFC have to grant an exemption to the rule to make a spectacular return early next year.
Last month, the promotion’s poster boy tweeted: “I’m clear for testing in February.
“I will complete my two tests per USADA & we are booking a fight.”
Per the UFC and USADA’s joint policy, the promotion can grant an exemption to the six-month testing pool requirement in “exceptional circumstances or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to the athlete.”
McGregor, however, will have to provide two negative drug tests in order for the testing period to be waived and to fight early next year.
During a recent Instagram Q&A, he said: “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 in a couple of days, get the camp going [for] a good couple of months. And get going.”