CONOR’S COMEBACK
CONOR EYES JULY COMEBACK DATE
CONOR McGREGOR has declared himself ready to return to the octagon and revealed his next fight is in the works.
The UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight champion hasn’t set foot inside the cage since his submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov last October. McGregor is currently serving a six-month suspension for his part in the brawl which followed UFC 229’s main event and will be eligible to fight early next month. And ‘The Notorious’ is hoping to make his big return during International Fight Week in July. “We’re currently in negotiations,” said McGregor, who is in America. “We’re aiming for July, we’ll see what happens. “I’m staying ready. This morning I was doing incline sprints on the treadmill on my program, the McGregorFast program, in a hotel room. So we’re staying on it, getting work in as we go.” McGregor was hoping to have an immediate rematch with Nurmagomedov but the Russian has vowed to sit on the sidelines until November. A title shot is highly unlikely for the Irishman, who insists he’s more than willing to face whoever the UFC brass put in front of him. The 30-year-old said: “I’m not quite sure at this moment who my next opponent will be. I will be prepared for anything (president) Dana White and the UFC throw at me.”
Should all go to plan for McGregor, his next fight will take place at UFC 239 in Las Vegas.
Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz are in the frame to face the former featherweight and lightweight king, as well as current 145lb champion Max Holloway.
Dublin native McGregor is hoping to land an opponent as soon as possible and erase the memory of his latest setback.
“I have been training and I’m ready to step back in the octagon,” he said. “My fans are ready, and I hope to share an announcement soon.
“Right now, I’m focused on my training to get back into the octagon. I can’t tell you how soon that will be, but I can tell you I am ready and don’t hold your breath.”
After back-to-back multi-million-pound fights with boxer Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Nurmagomedov, McGregor insists his choice of opponent is no longer driven by financial gain.
He added: “For me, I already have the money, so we fight now for the love of the game.
“Money is important but not the key driver for me.”