UFC fans say ‘vintage’ Conor McGregor is ‘BACK’ after MMA and boxing sparring with Irish star Ian Machado Garry
CONOR McGREGOR called on the help of fellow Irish star Ian Machado Garry as he looks to build towards his UFC comeback.
McGregor is training hard for his proposed return to the octagon, having been sidelined since July 2021.
And he ramped up his work by sparring rising welterweight contender Garry with boxing boxing and MMA rounds.
He posted a series of images and footage of the sessions to leave fans in awe as one said: “The karate stance and fluidity is back.”
Another added: “The last kick is vintage McGregor”
McGregor, 35, is yet to fight since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier, 34, in the first round of their trilogy bout.
He is set to face Michael Chandler, 37, next after the pair coached on The Ultimate Fighter together.
But McGregor has been out of the UFC’s all-year round random United States Anti-Doping Agency testing.
And in order to return, he would be required to do six-months of clean USADA testing unless given an exemption, throwing his chances of a fight this year into doubt.
Garry, 25, meanwhile is building towards a title shot having recently moved to 13-0 after beating Neil Magny, 36.
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He was motivated into a career in MMA after watching McGregor’s meteoric rise in the sport.
And Garry revealed he even even has a tattoo which was inspired by his hero.
He told Sporting Post: “I always like to get a tattoo before and after a fight because I want something physical to connect in time with a memory, with moments that are powerful for me.
“I don’t have a lot of time to get tattoos, so there’s only a certain window I can use to get them. And I want every single tattoo that I have to have a lot of meaning.
“The daisy tattoo is because I made my UFC debut at Madison Square Garden at 23 years of age, and for me that was a massive dream come true. To be 23 and fighting for the UFC at MSG.
“And I won by first round knockout and Conor McGregor jumped on Twitter, and he said: ‘Ian, you little f**king Daisy.’
“And I went, that’s it, I’m going to get a little daisy tattoo and get it on the right hand that I cracked the opponent with.”
“My relationship with Conor is the same as everybody else who is a fan of him.
“I am 110 per cent emotionally invested in anything that man did in the cage and I’m excited to see him back.
“And I hope that we can share a card together, and I can chop it up in person with them. That would be a dream come true.”