Conor McGregor’s UFC future currently hangs in the balance after a defining loss against Dustin Poirier in late January. On the night, the Irishman was well beaten after the American landed a series of kicks that left McGregor on crutches as he left Abu Dhabi. For fans of the fighter they call ‘the Notorious,’ it was an image that was hard to comprehend as the 32-year-old had the unrecognizable look of a man that had just been on the losing end of a ferocious fight.
Those @DustinPoirier leg kicks were no joke!
Conor McGregor limps out of the arena after #UFC257???pic.twitter.com/rGNm4wzD3N
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) January 24, 2021
Indeed, it was a far cry from the sight of an indomitable McGregor parading around the octagon that fight fans are had grown accustomed to seeing after one of his many dominant performances. Perhaps there was even a degree of sympathy from those that normally find the Irishman somewhat brash after he hobbled out to the waiting taxi that would take him to the airport to return home to Dublin.
Time Waits for No Man
It would have dawned on Conor McGregor as his private jet reached cruising altitude over the southern Iranian airspace that he was now on borrowed time in the UFC. The Irishman’s stock had fallen to an all-time low and the only way to reverse the direction of travel and early retirement was to begin winning again. To do that, however, McGregor needed to get back to the early days of his career and the level of intensity that he used to reach in the gym during a fight camp.
There was just a suggestion after his loss to Poirier that the 32-year-old wasn’t as focused as he could have been in the build-up. Perhaps this was due to the fact that McGregor had knocked Poirier out in under two minutes seven years earlier at UFC 178. Given the tough nature of life in the octagon at this level, any fighter exhibiting signs of a sense of complacency will be pounced on.
It appears that he has learned his lesson, given how early he has begun his training camp for his trilogy fight with Poirier, having already relocated to Dubai until the time comes to depart for Las Vegas. The third installment of this rivalry is set to get underway on the 11th of July which gives you a sense of how seriously McGregor is taking this fight and also, how aware he is of how high the stakes currently are. The 32-year-old is well ahead of schedule as far as peak physical performance goes and is already at his desired weight with two months still to go before the first bell goes. The message has been received loud and clear, McGregor is doing everything he can to resurrect his career.
McGregor Aims to Go Back in Time
Supporters of the Notorious will be heartened to see how focused their man is. Indeed, McGregor’s global fan base will be backing the Irishman to win this crucial fight and begin the climb back to the summit of the industry. Punters will undoubtedly want to transfer that faith in McGregor into a bet on him winning. Indeed, fans and first-time-bettors alike will be visiting sites like?asiabet.org?as they provide the latest on how to bet on UFC fights for anyone keen on punting on the 32-year-old. Their team has broken down the process, step-by-step to clear up any doubt in order to make sure people have all the information they need before wagering on the high-stakes box office fight that gets underway in July.
With McGregor in such a determined mood, one can only conclude that there is a strong likelihood that he will be able to avenge his loss to Poirier. But, with their previous fight spreading doubt amongst some fans, will the odds reflect this? Despite the fact that the Dublin-born superstar has put training at the top of his agenda, he has still had time to interact with fans and enjoy a lighthearted Q&A session during his downtime. This will have likely gone a long way to assuaging some of the uncertainty McGregor’s recent performance bred.
.@TheNotoriousMMA is looking in the best shape of his career???pic.twitter.com/KW7zJIYwAi
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 9, 2021
The Signs Are Good
This type of interaction with fans can normally turn quite controversial given the 32-year-old’s fiery temperament, but his answers show that he is instead relaxed and in a good headspace. Among many answers to questions from fans, McGregor spoke about his willingness to buy the football club Manchester United one day. The Irish fighter is of course a huge football fan and was even invited to train with Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid, as?thesportsbank.net?reports here.
A conversation came up regarding Celtic first to be honest. To acquire shares from Dermot Desmond. I am certainly interested in acquiring a sports team at some stage!
Both Celtic and Man United are teams I like for sure. But I am open. I feel I could do big things for a club. https://t.co/KgD9qnYipP— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 9, 2021
That may indicate that McGregor is thinking about life after UFC, but his actions currently show how serious he is about prolonging the twilight of his career in the sport.
Indeed, time under the warm Middle East sun appears to have refocused Conor McGregor and also done him the world of good. The Irishman could quite possibly be in the best shape of his life when he arrives in Las Vegas to secure his place at the very top.
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