Conor McGregor's coach John Kavanagh has given a positive update as the MMA star eyes a return to light training following a horrific leg break in July.
The Crumlin fighter (22-6-0) underwent surgery after he was forced to retire in the first round of his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
McGregor sustained a tibia fracture as he was placed on the back foot by the American and conceded the fight on a technical knockout, his second in as many fights.
Speaking to Submission Radio on Wednesday, Coach Kavanagh said the Notorious was eager for a return to action as he slowly ramps up his rehabilitation programme.
McGregor's rehab to date has mainly focus on weight training and rebuilding strength in the leg but Kavanagh confirmed he will be back in training at SBG Dublin in 'the next couple of weeks.'
He said: “I was only speaking to him a couple of hours ago. He’s coming to Ireland and he's going to be back in the gym.
"He's going to be back on the mats now in the next couple of weeks with me and we'll start back with combat sports training again.
“He’s doing a lot of strength training at the moment. The guy is jacked - I think he’s coming back as a middleweight!
“I actually joked with him and said, look, ‘I’d rather we just start off with some techniques, some drills and see how you’re going.'
"And he’s like, ‘no, I’m going to do five by five - that’s what I’m coming back to do.’ I’m like, oh great, you know, we’re straight into full combat training again.
“He’s very enthusiastic, very upbeat, very excited to attack 2022. I’m not sure when he’ll be back but he’ll be back.”
Kavanagh was also in the corner of Inchicore's Sinead Kavanagh as she suffered a first-round knockout to Cris Cyborg at Bellator 271 in Hollywood, Miami two weeks ago.
The decorated coach used McGregor's recovery, and refusal to be beaten, as an example of what mixed martial arts really is.
He added: "There's the overriding message of combat sports. It's dealing with failure, dealing with losses, dealing with injuries.
"And having that mindset that, as long as I keep coming back, I can never lose if I'm not going to quit. It's only when you quit that the real loss comes in."
