Conor McGregor aiming for

return before UFC Dublin card

as alightweight
By Luke Thomas [3] @SBNLukeThomas [4] on Sep 25, 2013, 1:00p

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

onor McGregor is down, but he's not out. Not if you talk to
him, anyway. Give him 15 seconds to tell you how he's
doing and two themes quickly emerge: the man is on a
mission and looking to break records. According to the Irishman,
he views himself as close to untouchable, but if he lacks anything,

it's enough time to do everything he views himself capable of

conquering.
But before any of that is possible, McGregor must first get healthy.
After partially tearing several key ligaments in his knee during his
bout with Max Hollaway at UFC Fight Night 26 [6] in August,
McGregor's sole focus has become getting healthy so he can get
back to action.

"I'm following the identical route that GSP took," McGregor told
Ariel Helwani on Monday's The MMA Hour when referring to his

recent knee surgery and ongoing physical rehabilitation. "Same

surgeon, same everything, same rehab. And [GSP] was 10 months
and the doctor, the surgeon recommended he could've come back
earlier. My physician thinks I'll be back full training in six months
the way I'm going.
"I'm a super freak," McGregor says without the slightest hint of
irony. "I'm a specimen of movement."
For a man facing an injury this debilitating, there's no shake or
quiver in his voice. His attitude is as positive as ever.

Still, McGregor's life is nothing but rehab at the present moment.

He's currently in Los Angeles, living in a rented apartment by
himself so he can follow, to the letter, all of the necessary steps that
make his return to action as fast as humanly possible.
Where he is now, there's no family. He has no friends in the city.
He's basically alone the majority of his time. Only a rep from his
management checks in on him every once in a while. "I'm on my
own here, dedicating myself," he notes. But in hearing him speak,
there's no sense of sorrow of self-pity. McGregor is as affable and
forward-thinking as ever. "This is just a new phase to what's going
on in my life, another story, another chapter that I will overcome."
There's also some reason for optimism, relatively speaking. The
doctor who operated on his knee isn't just the same one who
performed on Georges St-Pierre, but NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant and
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady as well. Physical
therapy isn't fun, but it's moving along at the appropriate pace. In
fact, it's moving so quickly, the confident featherweight believes
he'll be a model for how to recover from this injury.

"I will do whatever it takes to get me back to full health," he states.

"I plan on setting records here. But at the same time, I'm going to
set records on my return. People are going to study me, study this
injury, study how I came back from this. At the same time, I'm
going to listen to instructions. I'm not going to rush it either. I'm
well aware that if you rush this injury that you're right back to
square one. I'm taking instructions, but honestly, I plan on setting
records here.
"Scientists have already gotten in touch. They want to pay big
money to study my body after I'm gone. I'm a specimen of
movement, my friend."

It's a serious injury, one which the UFC is paying to have treated
properly. But for all the injury's severity, McGregor only found out
how bad it was and how long he'd be out through social media.
"I found out on Twitter," McGregor said of his damaged knee and
the layoff he'd be required to take. "I was already planning my next
contest. My next contest was going to be a top 10 opponent. There
was no doubt in my mind. I believe Diego Brandao [7] got that
fight I was supposed to get against [Dustin] Poirier. I believe that
was my fight.
"I was calling out everyone, planning my next contest and then I go
on Twitter and I see this thing Dana White [8] tweeted, 'FOX
Sports: McGregor injury, 10 months, ACL, MCL, PCL," McGregor
still says with both surprise and disdain. "I was sitting there in
shock."
The obvious question is what's the next move once everything heals
up? For now, it's simple more rehab. McGregor claims he's doing
everything he can to facilitate the process. He does 500 sit-ups a
day, 100 push-ups and can already ride a stationary bike. But what

about are return to the Octagon? After all, with the UFC planning a
return to Dublin, Ireland in late 2014, it only makes sense
McGregor himself, the fans and UFC management would want him
competing at the event.
"I believe I'm going to be back before the Dublin card. That's my

aim," McGregor contends. "Have a contest back, maybe at 155. I

feel too fast for these guys at 155. At 145, it's just too damn easy. I
might have 155 on my return and then a meaningful fight at 145 in
Dublin.
"I know I'm going to make it look easy. No one has the mind I have.
No one has the intelligence I have to this game. It's going to be like I
never left. And not only is it going to be like I never left, I'm going
to improve. I study this game and my movements. I take notes. It's
what I've been saying: this is just a new phase of training."
McGregor notes UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby [9] doesn't want
the natural featherweight to take a bout outside of his traditional
weight class, so there's an open question about whether that's
McGregor being McGregor or if it will actually happen. The popular
Irish fighter also notes it's still too early on the path to the road
back to call out any names of who he'd like to fight.
"It's a long way away to be calling people out, but I'd love a 155
fight. A 155 fight I thought was in slow motion on Saturday night if
I'm being honest. I believe I'll be too fast for these guys, any of these
guys.
"I fought at 155. I've held belts at 155. I've knocked people out at
155. There's a different dynamic, there's pros and cons to it,"
McGregor argues. "A lot of the 155'ers are sluggish. I honestly feel I
could go in there and light 90 percent of that division up."

Whether returns before or after the Dublin card, no one really

knows. For now, McGregor is where he is: in an apartment in Los
Angeles, either doing push-ups and sit-ups in his room or getting
physical therapy on his healing knee.
And despite the length of the recovery process as well as its

uncertainty, there's no hint of anything but enthusiasm when he

speaks. Nothing seems to have dampened his drive, interest in the
game or desire for conquest. For McGregor, this is all just part of
the same exact story. No matter what else, he is certain this is all
part of his destiny.
"I'm still going to be whooping ass and creating headlines," he says
of his return to fighting. "I'm buzzing to get back."

[0] http://www.mmafighting.com/news
[1] http://www.mmafighting.com/latest-news
[2] http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc
[3] http://www.mmafighting.com/authors/luke-thomas
[4] http://twitter.com/SBNLukeThomas
[5] http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/9/25/4768180/conor-mcgregor-aiming-for-spot-onufc-dublin-card-as-a-lightweight#comments
[6] http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/127219/ufc-fight-night-shogun-vs-sonnen
[7] http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/141449/diego-brandao
[8] http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/191797/dana-white
[9] http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/192261/sean-shelby