Conor McGregor is feeling supremely confident ahead of his comeback.
‘Notorious’ is set to end his three-year layoff when he squares off against Michael Chandler in a welterweight fight at UFC 303 in Las Vegas on June 29.
McGregor and Chandler have been waiting to fight each other for over a yearCredit: Getty
Dana White usually has a backup fighter ready to step in and compete if one of the main event fighters can’t for any reason – but he hasn’t found one for UFC 303 yet.
Former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira recently revealed that he has offered his services for the card, on the condition that he can renegotiate his contract if he ends up fighting McGregor.
Word of Oliveira’s proposal quickly made its way back to the Irishman.
Naturally, the brash former dual-weight UFC champion responded by confidently predicting that he would beat Oliveira and Chandler back-to-back.
“I do yous both in the same night, no sweat,” McGregor tweeted.
“I do yous both inside of a round. Combined. I got the magic paws ask Rio and São Paulo about me and my magic. The Irish Wand.”
Oliveira knocked out Chandler to become the 155lb UFC king in May 2021.
‘Do Bronx’ impressively defended his belt in stoppage wins against Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje before being dethroned by Islam Makhachev in October 2022.
Oliveira is ready to step in and replace either man at UFC 303Credit: getty
McGregor insists he’d make light work of ‘Do Bronx’Credit: Getty
The UFC fan favourite got himself back into title contention by easily dispatching Beneil Dariush, but a recent split decision loss to Arman Tsaruykan set him back.
McGregor hasn’t fought since breaking his leg at UFC 264 in July 2021.
The 35-year-old is returning on the back of consecutive defeats to Poirier and has recorded just one win since taking out Eddie Alvarez inside two rounds in 2016.
A win would put him in line for shots at several UFC titles, including the BMF belt recently acquired by Max Holloway, whom he beat during his rise through the ranks in 2013.
Another loss could spell the end of McGregor’s career fighting world-class MMA fighters, but retirement is unlikely as he claims to be feeling as fresh as ever.
“I’m barely touched,” said on This Life of Mine with James Corden.
“I only got clipped once and then the leg break, that’s it.
“I’ve put more people to sleep than anaesthesia, than surgical procedure so as far as freshness, I’m as fresh as it gets in this business.”