Conor McGregor must prove he’s still among elite fighters in UFC

With all the noise that surrounds Conor McGregor these days, it’s easy to forget he’s one of the best mixed martial artists in the sport. Though he hasn’t fought in 15 months, McGregor has stayed in the news for mostly the wrong reasons.

The Irishman has spent his time away from the Octagon completing court-ordered community service for throwing a dolly at a bus full of rival MMA fighters leaving a press conference at Barclays Center in 2018. He also faced a civil suit in Miami, where he was arrested for smashing the cell phone of a tourist trying to take his photo.

In addition, there was a report McGregor was being investigated in his native Ireland for sexual assault. That report followed a six-month suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission after a bottle-throwing brawl McGregor incited following a press conference.

More recently, McGregor dodged jail time again after he sucker punched a defenseless man in a pub in Ireland for declining to have a taste of his recently launched Irish whiskey.

McGregor was fined $1,116.16 and apologized for the incident, saying, “I assure you nothing of this nature will happen again regarding me.” But given McGregor had a reported 18 previous convictions for mischief, “something” involving his anger management issues is likely to happen again.

Many professional athletes with a similar rap sheet would find themselves under scrutiny, but McGregor’s return to the Octagon is being celebrated. He’ll face Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC 246 Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Technically, McGregor (21-4) is ending a self-imposed retirement that few took seriously. Now after all his antics outside the Octagon, it’s time for McGregor, 31, to prove he remains among the UFC’s elite fighters.

He is 2-2 in his past four bouts, including being submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov in the fourth round at UFC 229 in October 2018. That’s when Nurmagomedov jumped over the cage and into the crowd, trying to get at McGregor teammate Dillon Danis.

McGregor tweeted his retirement after the loss and focused on promoting his Irish whiskey, Proper No. Twelve. The whiskey has been an instant hit, selling out its consignment of 200,000 cases in New York at about $29.99 a bottle.

McGregor has always been big business, hitting nine figures for his boxing match with Floyd Mayweather and up to $3 million for his recent UFC bouts. His upcoming match with Cerrone will be his first on ESPN+ PPV and has been heavily advertised on all of the ESPN platforms. That’s a win-win for McGregor and his whiskey.

The world’s fourth-highest paid athlete insists, however, that his return isn’t all about money. McGregor blamed a “horrendous” training camp for his loss to Nurmagomedov, in which he fought well early, but tired as the bout went on. He tapped out in the fourth round.

McGregor insists he has recommitted himself to properly preparing for his 170-pound bout with the popular Cerrone and needs to win to remain worthy of being the sport’s most marketable fighter.

“A lot of people forget about my skills,” McGregor said recently on TheMacLife. “I’m going to go in there and remind them. I don’t feel these people are on my level when I’m committed. I have not been committed in while. A year ago, I started committing myself. I’m looking forward to showcasing my skills to the people.”

McGregor said he plans to fight three times this year, eyeing an April or May run at the lightweight title.

“I’m back in my old frame of mind,” McGregor said. “I just want consistency. I want competition.”

The battle-tested Cerrone, 36, is a worthy challenger. At 36-13, he has the most wins and most finishes in UFC history. He also has seven knockouts from kicks, also a UFC record. McGregor, the first UFC fighter to hold two titles in two divisions simultaneously, is up for the challenge.

“Fighting is always close to my mind,” he said. “Fighting is my bread and butter and that’s what I’m focused on.”

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