Conor McGregor has finally spoken about his long-awaited UFC comeback after the blockbuster rematch with Max Holloway was officially confirmed.
The former two-division champ is set to return at UFC 329 during International Fight Week on July 11 (July 12 AEST) in Las Vegas – ending a five-year absence from the Octagon.
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McGregor will run it back with Holloway more than a decade after their first meeting inside the Octagon, with the Irish superstar finally back in the spotlight after months of speculation surrounding his return.
The 37-year-old has spent years rehabilitating the devastating leg injury he suffered in his 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier – a break many feared he’d never return from.
Former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman both struggled to recapture their best form after suffering similar injuries, but McGregor insists he has prepared himself the right way for his comeback.
“Now as I have become a lot more experienced in the game I actually work backwards towards the perfect scenario,” he told Mac Energy.
“I have had a limb break inside the Octagon, and now I must have an answer to that midway through the first round, what’s my mechanism?
“The knee dislocates in the first round, what’s my movements, my reactions? Do I switch the stance or go to my back?
“I have a whole selection of responses to the worst case scenarios. Not that I sit and dwell on them, or overthink them, but I just have them.
“So if the ankle goes, if the knee goes, if the shoulder goes, what’s my response? Because the fight’s not over.
“If you have a maneuver, you can outlast and you can survive in there and you can work towards the victory.
“I have found as I have gotten more experience in the fight game to work my way backwards from the worst case scenario, to the best case scenario.
“And then focus and prepare for the best case scenario. That’s where I’m at right now. I have every situation that may occur and my answers to them.”
Despite the constant questions surrounding his body, McGregor insists he feels “better than ever”, while recent training footage has only added to the hype around his return.
When he first fought Holloway back in 2013, McGregor looked levels above the Hawaiian star – and he clearly believes history will repeat itself next time they meet.
‘The Mac’ is back, baby. Let’s go,” he said.
“I’m out so long, five years. My body’s fresh, my mind is sharp. I’m ready to come back. I’ve got a great opponent.
“I’ve got a great deal off the UFC. I’m very, very happy. They honored me, finally.”
The comments come after McGregor’s manager Audie Attar revealed the former champion plans to stay active after the Holloway fight.
“I could tell you he’s looking to stay active,” Attar told MMA Junkie.
“I could tell you that we had planned for a ‘season’ during the COVID period, and that never got going, unfortunately. So this is the new season, and he’s definitely looking to stay active.
“We’re definitely looking forward to to not only this fight, Max Holloway, July 11, and then that next fight, and we’re not gonna wait a year, that’s for sure.”
Attar also hinted McGregor could still finally get his long-awaited grudge match with Michael Chandler.
The pair had been scheduled to fight in 2024 before the bout collapsed after McGregor broke his toe.
“Conor really wanted to give [his return fight] to Michael Chandler,” Attar said.
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“He just felt Michael deserved it, having gone through the show and experienced that camp, the unfortunate injury, and the cancellation of the bout. Conor really, really wanted that to happen, and we did everything to try to push it.
“At the time, it just didn’t make sense for the UFC, but it doesn’t mean that it might not happen in the future. Michael has a great fight ahead of him at the White House, and we wish him the best. We want him to succeed. It can become a reality.”