Conor McGregor | The Mac Is Back

Chatting to Nate Burleson in a special sit-down interview for Paramount+, a candid McGregor said that he is back in his happy place after years away from the sport.

“The thing is, my most relaxed state is in there. My state of freedom is making that walk, you know?” he said.

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“I yearn for competition, and at the core of it, I do this for fun. This is fun to me. To get in (and) compete against another able body in a live event, ignite the passion of the fans and the entire ecosystem around the fight game, I enjoy it. I get great pleasure out of it. That's it. That's why I'm back. I'm back for the fun, for the thrill.”

“I know there’s a visual of the break, of course – me in the ring with the break. I wish for a visual now to correct that – landing the shot. 

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“I always say an injury is not just a process of recovery, it's a process of discovery. You uncover a lot about yourself, you uncover a lot about your frame, your body, your movements, your mechanics, what you must do to maintain. So, in actuality, everything happens for a reason. This allowed me to carry on with my career, and it will bring longevity to my career.

“I've taken a lot of lessons in my life, and it's just about self-discovery, studying yourself, learning yourself, learning triggers. I find myself, even now, still in a fight with an old version of me, or old ways that don't serve me, and new ways and a new version of me, the new me. So I still find myself in this balance right now – as a fighter, but more as a man, more as a human. 

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“I went through some treatment, a lot of self-reflective work on myself, internal work, and it was outside of this bubble that we find ourselves now.”

Despite taking positive steps, McGregor admitted that he still faces a regular battle with his old demons and has learned to check himself to ensure that he stays on the right path moving forward.

“On my immediate return to this game, in front of these cameras, and even this (interview) now, I found myself reverting to an old version of me, and I had to kind of remind myself. I said, ‘Hold on.’ I had to kind of reflect again and say, ‘I’m different now. I’m a different person. I put in work.’ 

“It's easy to fall into old habits, you know, you have to be careful, you have to practice with people, places, things, you know, protect people, places, things, don't find yourself in similar places that you would have been. So I'm still in that fight. I'm still in that fight, and competition for me, activity, and work helps that, for sure. I still have work to do.

“It's day-by-day work … You keep good people around you, and you make sure you have those conversations with the man in the mirror – that's the main thing – and there ain't no lying to him. And the man above, for sure.”

McGregor’s comeback fight at UFC International Fight Week sees him rematch Holloway, who, like McGregor himself, went on to achieve world championship glory following their meeting in 2013. Now the pair are set to face off in a welterweight bout in the main event of UFC 329. 

McGregor acknowledged Holloway’s talents but was keen to stress his view that his own skills lie on a higher plane.

“Max is a durable fighter with great skill – not on my level, however,” he stated.

“Is he? Is he really? I don't really see it,” he offered.

“I don't see vast improvements. In fact, the improvements he made were after the fight he had with me, where he adopted some of my moves, but then what did he do? He went on to win the world title. So, I sonned Max when I fought him last, and I plan on doing the same again, in more devastating fashion.”

Victory for McGregor would immediately thrust the Dubliner right back to the top of everyone’s callout list, and the Irishman said that he has a few different people in mind for his next assignment. He just wants the activity and the competition.

And it wouldn’t be a Conor McGregor pre-fight interview without his customary prediction. And, true to past form, “Mystic Mac” didn’t pull his punches in his assessment of how he sees the fight playing out on July 11. 

“It's gonna be an absolute demolition,” he declared. 

“I know the damage he's taken. I know I will just have to touch him, and after that, it will be clinical. So, to win alone is not just enough; it must be spectacular, and that it will be.”