Conor McGregor reveals he is ‘happy and strong’ while training for UFC comeback after horror leg injury against Poirier

CONOR MCGREGOR is feeling “happy and strong”; as he gears up to make his blockbuster return to the UFC.

The Dustin Poirier last July.

McGregor, 34, has been pumping plenty of iron during his 16-month layoff and packed on several pounds of muscle as a result.

And the Irishman is feeling primed and ready to make his return to the octagon.

Last week, the former two-division champion shared a string of photos of himself looking big and strong in the gym to his Instagram page.

The snaps showed a topless McGregor performing a number of gruelling exercises – which made his muscles bulge at the seams as he performed them.

His accompanying caption read: “Happy and strong.”;

The Irishman’s legion of followers quickly commented, with one saying: “You’re always training, man.”;

Another said: “Looking fantastic and ready to rumble.”;

And another said: “Let’s go, champ.”;

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McGregor recently claimed his newfound muscle has seen him bulk up to the UFC’s heavyweight limit.

During an impromptu Instagram Live, the Dubliner responded to a question about his weight from former UFC star Yoel Romero by saying: “I don’t know, mate. But big! Big anyway.

“I’d say I’m about 265lbs, yeah! In the bank, I’m heavy in the bank I am.”

McGregor is currently wrapping up his scenes for the upcoming Road House remake and is targeting an early 2023 return to the cage.

The UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight world champion said: “I’m going to be back soon, hopefully.

“Early 2023 I’m aiming for. Sometime in that first quarter. That will give me a good couple of months [to prepare].

“Once I wrap this up in a couple of days, get the camp going [for] a good couple of months. And get going.”;

McGregor, however, is currently out of the USADA drug testing programme and will need to be enrolled in it for six months before returning – unless he’s given an exemption to the pool requirements for returning athletes.