Conor McGregor explains decision to bring UFC back to welterweight division and reveals his ‘leg is getting better every day’

UFC megastar Conor McGregor has announced his decision to return to welterweight later this year.

The Irishman is recovering from a broken leg sustained in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier last summer.

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But he has hastened his recovery ahead of a possible return to the octagon later this year by beginning boxing training in Dublin.

Speaking to the Mirror, McGregor has confirmed he will return to the welterweight division currently dominated by Kamaru Usman and has provided an update on his leg.

He said: “Right back to training.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into the octagon – we’ll see what happens, the leg is getting better every day. I think 170 is my goal, I feel good at that weight.”

McGregor would love to take on Usman in his rematch.

But ex-UFC lightweight Josh Thomson has expressed doubts as to whether the 33-year-old will be the same man who toppled Jose Aldo or Eddie Alvarez.

Thompson said on his podcast: “Conor McGregor can say whatever he wants. He’s not 100% dedicated to the fight.

“And even if he was 100 percent dedicated to the fight, we still wouldn’t see old Conor McGregor. It just wasn’t going to happen.

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“He’s been retired for too long, his mind is going in a hundred different directions and he has a huge family now.

“His fourth child is coming. It’s just not there anymore. And he continued to sit here and say that’s how it is.

“He won’t be the same fighter that fought Jose Aldo, he won’t be the same fighter that fought Eddie Alvarez.”

Usman also mocked McGregor on Twitter.

McGregor became the first fighter in UFC history to KO at featherweight, lightweight and welterweight in January 2020 with a 40-second demolition of Donald Cerrone.

But Usman reminded The Notorious that he was also submitted in each of those divisions.