Conor McGregor is set to rever to a more loose, karate-like style for his ucpoming Octagon return later this year, according to UFC weltererweight contender and former title challenger, Stephen Thompson, who spent time training with the Dubliner earlier this month.
McGregor, a former two-weight UFC champion, managed to strike gold in both the featherweight and lightweight divisions, between 2015 and 2016.
Returning to Las Vegas, Nevada last month, Conor McGregor began filming on The Ultimate Fighter 31 alongside one-time vacant lightweight title challenger, Michael Chandler.
The 34-year-old, who is expected to make his Octagon comeback later this year, has been touted to fight the Missouri native later this year following the culmination of the reality television series, however, has yet to return to the USADA testing pool – despite a September showdown floated by the organization.
Conor McGregor is slated to abandon a recent boxing-heavy striking approach
Pictured alongside Simponsville striking ace, Thompson at the UFC Performance Institute in recent weeks, McGregor’s fighting style appears to have reverted from a boxing-heavy base according to the former welterweight title challenger.
“He’s (Conor McGregor) getting back to his roots – his karate,” Stephen Thompson told Submission Radio during a recent interview. “He’s never taken karate in his life, but he’s trained with a lot of karate fighters, and that’s kind of where he got his movement from.”
“So, for instance, when he fought Jose Aldo, his movement – his wide stance, his speed was on point,” Thompson said. “Like, he’s back to that, man – at a heavier weight. Which is scary. And if you ever shook Conor’s hand, the dude’s got a bigger fist than i do. Like, he’s got a melon of a fist. I’m like, ‘What the heck, man?’ No wonder he puts people out with one-hitter-quitter punches.” (Transcribed by TalkSPORT)
In the midst of a two-fight losing skid, McGregor has dropped back-to-back losses to former interim lightweight titleholder, Dustin Poirier – in the most recent fight, fracturing his left tibia and fibula in the main event of UFC 264 back in July 2021.
