Conor McGregor is set to jet off on holiday to Italy in the coming days after coming through surgery on a broken leg.
The country has sentimental value to the 32-year-old who was given some career advice whilst holidaying in the La Spezia region of the country last year.
McGregor spent time in Italy in the lead up to his previous bout with Poirier and it was while training there that he was told to step up his game by a local trainer and gym owner Luca Riccardi.
McGregor was advised to balance his fighting style by the Italian who said he should mix up his head and body shots in the octagon, but it ultimately mattered for nothing as the the Notorious was no match for the hard hitting American on that occasion as well.
Before their bout last weekend, the Dubliner revealed on Instagram that he would be heading to the home of the Azzurri after the fight.
McGregor has been away from his family for the past few weeks as his fiancee Dee Devlin and their three children remained at home in Ireland while he trained in California.
The MMA star was rushed to hospital following the UFC 264 fight, which he started aggressively by targeting Poirier with leg kicks, but the American quickly capitalised after seeming to hear McGregor’s leg crack during one exchange early doors.
Poirier took his opponent to the ground, where he dominated before the fighters returned to their feet.
Both swung and missed and McGregor stepped back before his leg collapsed beneath him. McGregor somehow survived until the end of the round when the bout was stopped.
It was a brutal injury to say the least and McGregor has now suffered defeat in three of his last four fights.
In the aftermath of the fight, McGregor’s supportive family sentiments resurfaced once again when his sister Erin hinted that her brother had nothing left to prove in the sport hailing her brother as ‘inspirational’ after his brutal injury against Poirier.
Posting on Instagram, Erin said: “You've given so much and more to so many people @notoriousmma.
“You've taken so many on this journey with u & raised the game, watching u has been inspirational, motivational. Sending u love & a speedy recovery #teammcgregor FOREVER.”
UFC boss Dana White is adamant that there will be another meeting between McGregor and Poirier.
White said after the bout: “The fight didn’t get finished. You cannot have a fight finish that way.
“We will see how this whole thing plays out. Who knows how long Conor is out, so Poirier will do his thing until Conor is ready.”
