Getty Conor McGregor returns at UFC 246.
Conor McGregor appears to be in tremendous shape headed into his UFC 246 pay-per-view bout against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone on Jan. 18 in Las Vegas.
McGregor, 31, from Ireland, posted a training montage on Instagram Friday showing the fighter looking as fit as ever before his long-awaited comeback bout.
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McGregor Aims for First UFC Win Since 2016
McGregor hasn’t fought inside the Octagon since losing via submission in the fourth round to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October 2018. In fact, McGregor hasn’t won a fight since becoming the UFC’s first double champion by stopping Eddie Alvarez in the second round at UFC 205 in November 2016.
That made McGregor UFC champion in two weight classes at the same time (featherweight and lightweight), something no fighter in the history of the company had done before in any two divisions at once.
It’s gone on to happen three more times since. Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Henry Cejudo have all become “champ champs” over the last three years. But McGregor was the first to accomplish the feat, and it was definitely part of what helped him become a global MMA icon.
Still, McGregor’s only other action over the last three years as a fighter was his August 2017 knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. inside a boxing ring.
Comeback Season for McGregor?
McGregor has much to come back from if he hopes to regain his status at the top of the sport. Despite being out of action for over 15 months, the Irishman remains ranked among the top 15 fighters in the company’s official pound-for-pound rankings at No. 13 but badly needs a win to remain there for long.
But McGregor seems to believe he still has what it takes to get back to the top of the sport. The fighter sees UFC 246 as part of his “comeback season” which he reportedly envisions includes at least two more fights in 2020.
McGregor Looks Fit and Fast at 170 Pounds
In the video he posted on Instagram Friday, McGregor definitely looks fit at 170 pounds. While some have wondered if fighting anyone beyond Cerrone in the welterweight division would be a smart move at this point in his career, the fighter does at least appear to be sharp and focused heading into UFC 246.
A win over Cerrone would set up huge opportunities for McGregor down the line, including the fights he seemingly most desires: rematches against Nurmagomedov and Mayweather or welterweight superfights against UFC BMF champion Jorge Masvidal and 170-pound champ Kamaru Usman.
Of course, none of those things are likely to happen unless McGregor can get back to his winning ways against Cerrone at UFC 246. Judging by the training montage McGregor released on Instagram, at least, the fighter seems to have put his best foot forward.
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