Conor McGregor has made a return to Mallorca, one of his favourite holiday spots, and he's already causing quite the commotion.
The Crumlin-born ex-UFC champion has been absent from the Octagon for nearly four years, following his last brawl, a Las Vegas trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021, which was halted in the first round after McGregor fractured his leg.
Whispers have circulated for some time that a comeback might be imminent, but for now, the 36-year-old has flown off for some sunshine with his fiancée Dee Devlin and their children. However, it appears training is still very much on the agenda.
McGregor was spotted on social media engaging in some rigorous sprint drills, although the Irishman chose not to exercise publicly during a quieter part of the day.
As the former featherweight and lightweight champion began his runs up a hill in the exclusive area of Port Adriano, cars and motorbikes whizzed past, with some even honking their horns at McGregor, who was causing a bit of a traffic disruption on a road leading to the local port, as reported by Spanish news outlet Ultima Hora.
This didn't seem to faze the fighter, however. He carried on with his drills as if the vehicles weren't there, and could be heard panting heavily due to the strenuous nature of the training.
Locals and holidaymakers were reportedly taken aback when they saw the shirtless Irishman committed to his circuit, and this isn't the first time McGregor has used such a technique to keep fit, reports Dublin Live.
In an intense show of stamina, McGregor was filmed back in 2022 tearing up a similar hill on the island under the darkness of night in a social media video, letting out a battle cry as he powered through the steep incline.
On his Instagram page, he questioned fans: "Ask yourself this: Why aren't you finding a hill and sprinting it? It's simple, effective, free, benefits are astounding."
The former UFC champ has been soaking up the sun after arriving on his favourite holiday spot via private jet, reportedly spending time on his yacht with his fiancée and children, cruising on a €10,000 Porsche electric bike, zipping around in a Ferrari and being generous to the local residents with his tips.
McGregor's return to the octagon, however, remains uncertain. There were plans for him to clash with Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in 2024, but an injury thwarted a reappearance. Speculation about the 36-year-old's comeback have been circulating, and McGregor himself indicated an essential condition of his return in April.
"I'll only come back to a stadium," he wrote on social platform X, suggesting the Irishman would only re-enter the cage for a massive live audience.
Yet, Dana White, the UFC's CEO, was probed last month by Adam Glyn about the likelihood of McGregor fighting again soon, giving an enigmatic answer in the spontaneous interview.
"He's not fighting anytime soon," said White, casting uncertainty over whether McGregor will ever return to the UFC. "I haven't talked to him in a minute. But I don't know."
