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CONOR MCGREGOR insists his warrior spirit still “burns strong” – despite his lengthy hiatus.
The former two-division UFC champion hasn’t set foot inside the cage since breaking his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
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APMcGregor, 36, was due to return to action against Michael Chandler last June but was forced out of their Sin City showdown with a broken toe.
The Irishman has seemingly put fighting on the backburner in recent months but is adamant he’ll fight again, albeit not inside the UFC octagon.
He said: “The warrior spirit burns strong inside me. For sure.
“If you think I’m up here giving these speeches and leading these men into battle and I won’t step in there myself, think again.
“For sure. Conor McGregor will fight in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship – mark my words.”
The Notorious’ words came just a matter of weeks after UFC supremo Dana White cast doubt over the promotion’s poster ever setting foot inside the octagon again.
When asked about McGregor during the UFC Fight Night 250 post-fight press conference last month, he replied: “Conor?
“Um… Not sure when Conor will be back.”
Inside McGregor's Notorious lifestyle
With more sides to his personality than an Octagon, Conor McGregor's rise has been an enthralling watch.
Going from UFC icon to entrepreneur and Hollywood star, the Irishman has transcended the sport he helped bring to the masses.
He has four children with fiancee Dee Devlin and the family enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
McGregor has not fought in UFC since breaking his leg in a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021.
That has not stopped him amassing a net worth of over £150m thanks to his Proper No Twelve whiskey and fashion line.
And he is due to return to the Octagon at UFC 303 in an eagerly-awaited headline clash with Michael Chandler.
McGregor also starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the Amazon Prime remake of classic movie Road House, although he is dreading his mum seeing one X-rated scene.
Notorious turned up to the premiere in a £60,000 suit that was outdone by his £460k watch.
The only thing sharper than his fashion sense is his tongue and the Dubliner has several bitter spats under his belt, including with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
That row led to one of his biggest controversies in 2018 as he travelled 3,000 miles to confront Khabib in a vicious attack on his bus.
He pleaded guilty to assault after punching a man in a pub in 2018 and had his £150k Bentley seized by police for driving offences four years later.
Joe Rogan lashed out at McGregor in a four-letter outburst and the Irishman has also fired shots at Jake Paul, KSI and Tommy Fury.
Boxing great Floyd Mayweather also has McGregor on his enemy list after the pair clashed in a cross-sport bout in 2017.
Read all of our latest Conor McGregor stories.
McGregor was linked with a shock crossover boxing match with YouTube sensation Logan Paul late last year.
The UFC weren’t on board with the idea, although McGregor is keen to get involved in the influencer boxing world.
He told The Schmo: “I’m more inclined now for this influencer, f***ing whatever you call it.
“Because it’s astronomical money. It’s astronomical, the figures.
“Who is there? Jake [Paul], Logan [and] KSI.
“I like the three of these guys and then all these other ones that are tussling around.”
McGregor’s next fight, if he does indeed ever fight again, will be his first since being found civilly liable for assaulting Nikita Hand at a Dublin Hotel in December 2018.
The Dubliner has officially appealed the verdict returned by a jury of his peers at Dublin’s High Court last November.
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