UFC 303 will see the long-awaited return of Conor McGregor, as he’s set to compete in the Octagon for the first time since July 2021 to take on Michael Chandler. McGregor will headline the event with his welterweight clash, but his preparations will be very different compared to what he’s used to.
McGregor is a different man from the one that last walked out in Las Vegas, Nevada, almost three years ago.
The Irish fighter has been enjoying the party life and has been cutting weight after putting on mass in his time off. McGregor is back training for his upcoming bout with Chandler, but a traditional part of his cardio isn’t part of his regime as he’s apprehensive to get back on his road bike.
McGregor was knocked off his bike last year and feared for his life, and as a result he isn’t in a rush to get back to cycling. “Still haven’t gone back out on my bike after this,” McGregor wrote on Instagram stories when sharing a memory of the incident.
On January 27, 2023, McGregor was hit by a car while cycling and thanked God for still being alive. “Got a bang off a car just now from behind. A sun trap, the driver couldn’t see me,” McGregor wrote on Instagram when sharing photos of the incident.
“Full speed straight thru me. Thank you God, it wasn’t my time. Thank you wrestling and judo also. Having an awareness on the landing saved my life.”
Understandably McGregor is still haunted by the crash, and is looking to build his fitness in other ways ahead of fighting Chandler. Their five-round bout has been confirmed by UFC president Dana White, meaning the Irish fighter will need to be at full fitness to withstand the potential 25-minute battle.
McGregor was once untouchable in the UFC, winning his first seven fights and delivering one of the most famous knockouts in history when he slept Jose Aldo inside 13 seconds. A loss to Nate Diaz rocked him before he won the rematch to get back on track, which he followed up with a win over Eddie Alvarez.
But then everything changed for McGregor, as he was dominated by fierce rival Khabib Nurmagomedov. That led to an 18-month lay-off before he returned to face a weak Donald Cerrone. Consecutive losses against Dustin Poirier showed that the Irish fighter was no longer the main threat in the UFC.
His last appearance saw him suffer a fractured tibia, a brutal injury that may still lead to repercussions, as McGregor relies on footwork in his fights to gain an edge. UFC fans will be delighted to see McGregor return, and he still has one fight left on his contract after facing Chandler.
