He is returning. But not at his former speed. The attention toward Conor McGregor, who is about to return, is ominous.
The U.K. tabloid The Sun reported on the 2nd (Korea time), "Conor McGregor, who is preparing to return to the Octagon after five years, has shown his worst form, increasing fans' concerns," and added, "Fans' worries are growing after seeing training footage in which he looks completely like a turtle."
In the UFC, McGregor had been effectively retired after breaking his left leg in the third fight with Dustin Poirier five years ago. He was scheduled to make his comeback at UFC 303 in June 2024 against Michael Chandler, but the return fell through after he withdrew due to a fractured left little toe.
But this time the likelihood of a return is very high. MMA insider Ariel Helwani said that for McGregor's return to be canceled, a "catastrophic" event would have to occur, predicting the comeback as likely. He said UFC and McGregor are seriously conducting return negotiations. At this point, a likely opponent for McGregor's comeback is Max Holloway, whom he fought once in 2013. Holloway recently publicly demanded a rematch with McGregor on his YouTube channel. Holloway, who lost to McGregor by decision in their first meeting, said, "From the position of coming back after a loss, it would be pretty fun to avenge that defeat."
McGregor's return is likely to be the main event of UFC 329 on July 11. But after a long layoff, expectations and concerns collide as he steps back into the cage. Particularly worrying is McGregor's current physical condition. Recent training footage of McGregor has fanned the flames of concern.
The footage showed McGregor continuing combinations against a heavy bag, but fan reactions were mixed. Observers pointed to noticeably reduced speed and slowed movements compared with the past. Social media reactions were blunt: "He looks so slow," "It looks like slow motion."
At the disappointing performance shown in the footage, some fans even urged him to retire, saying, "It would be better if he didn't come back." The reaction reflects a desire to preserve the memory of his prime performances. McGregor's age is also a variable. He is currently 37. He will be close to 38 at the time of the comeback. Given the long layoff, aging and past major injuries combined, the analysis that it is difficult to expect the same explosiveness as before is dominant.
The originally planned Michael Chandler fight also fell through due to injury. Repeated schedule delays directly lead to deterioration of competitive instincts. Critics also point out that civil lawsuits and other external variables have affected his focus.
Despite that, McGregor has not bowed in his intent to return. He posted training footage on his social media to show his preparation process. But what fans expect is not the "return" itself, but a "McGregor-like performance".
[Photo] Capture from the U.K. The Sun.
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