After Getting BJJ Black Belt, Conor McGregor Improves One Last Area of His ‘Weakness’ as Irish UFC Star Gears Up for Michael Chandler Bout

Conor McGregor is putting in the hard work on shoring up his wrestling skills and the MMA community is here for it. The Irish superstar has been out of active competition since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in 2021. Setbacks in the form of issues with drug testing protocols for athletes under USADA have marked his UFC return. However, UFC CEO Dana White has recently confirmed that there is a “100%” chance that McGregor will step into the Octagon again in 2024.

As such, fans are pleased to see McGregor sharing training pictures of him on the wrestling mat. The Notorious has been criticized in the past for his grappling skills, despite holding a black belt in BJJ. And ahead of the possible bout with Michael Chandler, renowned for his wrestling prowess, the post highlights McGregor’s resolve to improve and add to his game constantly!

Conor McGregor shows off his wrestling training 

Conor McGregor is considered one of the most dangerous strikers to have graced the Octagon. His incredible counter-striking skills led him to become a ‘champ-champ’ in the UFC. The incredible run also saw McGregor finish long-time champion Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds at UFC 194!

However, as evidenced by the fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov, McGregor’s wrestling skills have often been lackluster, or at least that’s what the experts say. But in a recent post on Twitter/X, the Irish star shared pictures of himself working hard, improving that area of his skillset. He captioned the post, “Wrestling, the oldest sport.”

McGregor is also a BJJ black belt under his long-time coach, John Kavanagh. In September 2023, McGregor was awarded his black belt as well. He shared a post of appreciation on his Instagram where he stated, “Received my black belt tonight from my coach, friend, and mentor, John Kavanagh of SBG Ireland. 20 years of hard work!”

It’s also important to note that Kavanagh was the first to secure a black belt in jiu-jitsu in Ireland under Matt Thornton in 2007. McGregor also received numerous congratulations on his incredible achievement in grappling, including an acknowledgment from Gordon Ryan,  considered one of the top no-gi grapplers in the world today!

So far, there has been no official confirmation regarding the timeline for the McGregor vs Michael Chandler bout. However, a former UFC fighter has made it known that he would rather see a different matchup headline the upcoming, historic, UFC 300 event!

McGregor and his presence at UFC 300 doesn’t interest former UFC fighter

Ben Askren, reflecting on potential UFC 300 main events, cast doubts on Conor McGregor’s return after a lengthy hiatus. Instead, Askren proposed exciting alternatives for the main card.

In a recent interview with ‘From The Stands’, Askren envisioned a matchup between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya at 205lbs, considering Pereira’s callout. Askren stated, “Pereira vs. Adesanya. I think people would be into that. People would be really into the return of Conor McGregor, but I’m not (sure) it’s actually happening,”

Additionally, he also suggested a heavyweight clash featuring interim champ Tom Aspinall against the legendary Stipe Miocic, emphasizing Aspinall’s readiness to compete. Askren revealed, “Jon Jones is gonna be out, like, nine or so months, and then he fights after that, and then Aspinall’s gotta wait again.”

Read More: Michael Chandler Training With Shavkat Rakhmonov Before Potential UFC Clash Against Conor McGregor Leaves MMA Fans Amazed

Askren’s insights add excitement and anticipation for potential headline events at UFC 300. And fans will be eagerly awaiting further updates concerning the landmark UFC event.

Do you think Conor McGregor will return with improved wrestling skills against Michael Chandler? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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