Conor McGregor reveals real reason for hiatus ahead of Khabib bout: I fell out of love MMA
CONOR MCGREGOR has revealed his long hiatus from the Octagon was in part down to him ‘falling out of love’ with mixed martial arts.
McGregor makes his long-awaited return to the cage early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 229, which takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
He will be welcomed back to the MMA world by his successor at the summit of the lightweight division, the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Irishman’s showdown with the Russian will be his first mixed martial arts bout in nearly two years, his last being his historic UFC 205 victory over Eddie Alvarez.
Nearly two years have passed since that momentous night at Madison Square Garden, where the fighting pride of Crumlin became the first fighter in UFC history to hold two titles simultaneously.
And ‘The Notorious’ has revealed a waning of interest in fighting MMA after creating history played a huge factor in his lengthy spell on the sidelines.
“I don’t owe anybody an answer for nothing,” McGregor told The MacLife. “I’m here for the love of this game. For the love of competition.
“I fell out of love with the game for a bit and went off and did my own thing - had many things going on. Now I’m back, I’m hungry to compete.
“And we’re here right on the cusp of it making weight and handling the media obligations and that’s it.”
Tensions will be high throughout fight week due to the bad blood between Team McGregor and Team Nurmagomedov, which reached new levels at the UFC 223 media in April in New York, where Ireland’s first UFC belt holder threw a dolly through the window of a bus carrying the 155lbs champion.
And McGregor has admitted his grudge match with ‘The Eagle’ is personal.
I fell out of love with the game for a bit and went off and did my own thin
"I think I’m going to turn him into a bobblehead if I’m honest,” said McGregor. “It’s personal but it’s the same, it’s always a little personal.
“In there it’s a blank face and a new body. I see him turning into a bobblehead when I hit him. I feel his brain is going to rattle when he takes a clatter off me.
“That’s what I’m keeping in my head, but I’m a veteran now.
“I will be prepared for five rounds, I’ll be prepared for any scenario. I’m well trained, I’ve put in the work and we are confident going in, no matter where it goes.”
UFC 229 Fight Card
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor (lightweight title fight)
Tony Ferguson vs Anthony Pettis (lightweight bout)
Ovince Saint Preux vs Dominick Reyes (light-heavyweight bout)
Derrick Lewis vs Alexander Volkov (heavyweight bout)
Michelle Waterson vs Felice Herring (women’s strawweight bout)
Prelims
Sergio Pettis vs Jussier Formica (men’s flyweight bout)
Scott Holtzman vs Alan Patrick (lightweight bout)
Ryan LaFlare vs Tony Martin (welterweight bout)
Lina Lansberg vs Yana Kunitskaya (women’s bantamweight bout)
Gray Maynard vs Nik Lentz (lightweight bout)
Aspen Ladd vs Tonya Evinger (women's bantamweight bout)