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Conor McGregor Transformation: How Has the UFC Star’s Physique Changed Over the Years

Published 09/18/2023, 8:43 AM EDT

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There is no doubt that Conor McGregor is arguably the most popular MMA star in the world. Not only that, but he is also the richest MMA fighter as well. Meanwhile, he has not fought in over two years, and fans are speculating regarding which weight class he’ll return at. As we approach his return, let us look at his body transformation over the years.

Conor McGregor has fought in multiple weight divisions in the UFC. Starting off as a featherweight, he even fought as a welterweight. Here is a look at how his physique changed throughout his MMA career.

Conor McGregor’s drastic weight cut during featherweight stint

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‘The Notorious’ began his UFC career in the featherweight division. However, one of the most memorable and scary weight cuts that Conor McGregor underwent was for the UFC 194 title fight against UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo. The Irishman weighed in at 145 pounds but looked very depleted and dehydrated during the weigh-in event.

 

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McGregor’s face and body told the whole story about the tough weight-cut process. It sparked major concerns when it comes to the process of making weight for fights.

Nevertheless, the Irishman defeated Jose Aldo and became the undisputed featherweight champion, following which he moved to the lightweight division. Now, let us take a look at his physique as a lightweight.

Conor McGregor’s physique during lightweight move

‘The Notorious’ made his move to the UFC’s lightweight division in 2016. While he was already the featherweight champion, he had the chance to create history as he fought Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight championship. Fighting as lightweight seemed like the perfect weight class for Conor McGregor as he managed to look fit and healthy, unlike his featherweight weight cut.

McGregor made the championship weight of 155 pounds during the weigh-in event for UFC 205. Furthermore, he defeated Eddie Alvarez and became the first-ever simultaneous UFC two-division champion. Now let’s turn our attention to the Irishman’s time as a welterweight.

Conor McGregor makes a move up to 170Lbs to face Donald Cerrone

The Irishman, after fighting in the featherweight and lightweight divisions, made a jump to the welterweight division to face Hall of Famer Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. However, this was not the first time he fought at 170 pounds. McGregor earlier fought former rival Nate Diaz in 2016 as a welterweight, too.

This fight against ‘Cowboy’ was an important one for McGregor since he had lost his last fight to Khabib Nurmagomedov. Meanwhile, the official weight as per welterweight rules is 170 pounds, and ‘The Notorious’ made that limit and looked like he added a considerable amount of muscle for the fight. Conor McGregor went on to win the fight with a TKO finish.

Conor McGregor undergoes heavy transformation post-injury at UFC 264

The former double champion last fought in the UFC at UFC 264. This was the fight where fans saw Conor McGregor suffering a brutal leg injury against Dustin Poirier. However, during his time away, he managed to undergo a significant transformation of his physique. McGregor added a significant amount of muscle and pictures of his new look went viral on social amongst fans.

Moreover, in an Instagram livestream, McGregor laughed while showing off his new bulked-up physique. He even told his fans and followers that he was weighing around 265 pounds, which nobody expected. He looked like a middleweight. Meanwhile, as we inch closer to his eventual comeback, fans are wondering as to which weight class he’ll return to.

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Which weight class is Conor McGregor coming back to?

Conor McGregor has called out many opponents since he’s been away from the Octagon. However, there is a chance that he will fight Michael Chandler, which was UFC CEO Dana White‘s initial plan for Conor McGregor’s comeback. However, the weight class for that fight is yet to be revealed.

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McGregor’s new bulked-up look has fans wondering if he’ll fight in the middleweight division this time around. Moreover, he even teased to fight at 185lbs to Michael Chandler during the first episode of TUF 31. Hence, we still don’t know what the final decision for the weight class will be. We will have to wait and see what the UFC plans for McGregor in the days and months to come.

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Written by:

Himanga Mahanta

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Himanga Mahanta is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. He has a passion for combat sports and a deep understanding of the intricacies of MMA. With his expertise and extensive knowledge, Himanga provides in-depth coverage of UFC events and fighters, bringing his readers closer to the action and the athletes they admire.
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Edited by:

Rupkamal Sarma