McGregor makes staggering ‘heavyweight’ claim after piling on muscle

Conor McGregor claims he weighs more than Deontay Wilder and Oleksandr Usyk after piling on the muscle mass during his time away from the Octagon. In a recent Instagram live video, McGregor told fans that he is sitting right at the UFC heavyweight limit of 265lb.’265. I’d say I’m about 265, yeah. In the bank, super heavy in the bank I am, yeah,’ McGregor joked.McGregor does look considerably bigger. However, it is unlikely he is touching the 260s. The Irishman has been out of the cage since July 2021 when he sustained a broken leg during his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.He has returned to full-time training and is expected to make his UFC return sometime next year. No official date has been penciled in but Notorious claims that he will return to the cage in early 2023. Conor McGregor claims he weighs 265lb (Image: Conor McGregor/ Instagram)’I’m going to be back soon, early 2023 I’m aiming for, sometime in that first quarter that will give me a good couple of months now once I wrap this, a good couple of days to get this camp going, a good couple of months and get going,’ McGregor added.This target is highly unlikely given the fact that McGregor is out of the USADA testing pool. Fighters that have pulled themselves out of UFC’s drug testing programme due to retirement or other reasons are required to reenlist for at least six months before receiving the all-clear to compete again.MORE UFC NEWS…Askren responds to Paul KO conspiracy theories ahead of Silva fightPetr Yan ‘may quit UFC’ after controversial loss to Sean O’MalleyConor McGregor branded ‘beatable’ as next UFC opponent emerges Conor McGregor has been out of action since July 2021 (Image: GETTY)UFC president Dana White recently confirmed that this was the case with McGregor when speaking to assembled media after UFC 280. That being said, USADA and the UFC, do have the power to waive the six-month rule in “exceptional circumstances or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to the athlete.”Several opponents have been rumoured for McGregor’s next fight including Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira, and Justin Gaethje. Given his far more muscular physique, a number of reports have suggested that the former two-weight world champion will return at welterweight.McGregor has fought at 170lb three times during his professional MMA career – twice against Nate Diaz in 2016 and then again versus Donald Cerrone four years later.