In the case of Conor McGregor, size does matter.
On New Year’s Day, the Irishman revealed that his long-awaited return to the Octagon will go down on June 29. On that date, he is expected to headline UFC 302 as part of the promotion’s annual International Fight Week in Las Vegas. McGregor is set to square off with former Bellator MMA champion Michael Chandler, but to everyone’s surprise, it was revealed that the bout will take place at middleweight.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 31, 2023
Sharing his take on McGregor’s quote-unquote “greatest comeback in combat sports history,” Michael Bisping, alongside his Believe You Me co-host Anthony ‘Lionheart’ Smith, offered his honest take on the former featherweight champion’s move up 40 pounds from where his UFC career began.
“No wonder it’s 185 because Conor McGregor’s arm—I only saw his arm—but it looked a little flabby gabby,” Bisping said. “I thought so. It looks thick, I’m not hating, but he looks a little soft there. He’s definitely bigger. Brendan Loughnane… he said he’s doing a little training with him out in Dubai, he said, ‘Yeah, he’s big. He’s at least 200 pounds.”
“He fought at 145, went up to 155, 185 that is not his optimal weight class,” Bisping said. “Granted, he’s fighting another lightweight in Michael Chandler. The problem is though is that, as I say, it’s not your optimal weight class, so they’re going to be carrying more weight. If you’re Conor—and I’m not hating on Conor and I’m really excited for the fight because he’s the most exciting guy because of the energy and the presence and the hype and the performances.
“Win or lose, and there’s been losses recently, they’re still big moments and the comeback is going to be something special. It really is, but I think with all that extra weight it’s going to be an issue. Because not only does making weight suck, but making weight also insists on discipline because you have to.
“If I was going to make 185 pounds, I had to do my road work, I had to follow a strict diet, I had to make sure I was getting my ass in the gym because I’m not going to make weight. You can be 185 pounds. When he fights at 145 or 155, there’s not that subconscious threat of missing weight, of not being successful, of having the big comeback, one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport being a failure.
“Having to make weight makes you disciplined. It makes you live that monk kind of lifestyle, that fighters enjoy and go through. On top of that, he’s not known for having the best cardio. When you’re carrying that extra weight, whether it’s muscle or fat, it’s going to tire you down, it’s going to slow you down, and it’s going to definitely affect your endurance.”
Anthony Smith Believes Conor McGregor Won’t Be Himself at 185 Pounds
Sharing his take on the situation, Anthony Smith sided with his fellow fighter-turned-podcaster, adding that McGregor’s signature footwork will likely suffer under the excess weight, regardless of whether he’s packing fat or muscle come fight night.
“His footwork’s not going to be the same either,” Smith said. “He’s going to be a little more plodding and he’s going to have to be because he’s carrying the extra weight that he’s not used to carrying, so it’s a technique thing too. The techniques that he does and the way that he fights and the footwork that he fights with and the sliding in and sliding out, doing that 30 pounds heavier is different.
“He hasn’t done it at fight speed in a competition 30 pounds heavier. He’s never done that. It’s going to be different and it’s going to feel different when he’s in there, even if he convinces himself that it doesn’t.”
After claiming titles at 145 and 155, McGregor made brief moves to welterweight for his back-to-back bouts with Nate Diaz and his UFC 246 shellacking of Donald Cerrone. His first-round destruction of ‘Cowboy’ was the last time the Irishman had seen his hand raised inside the Octagon.
He’ll look to change that this summer when he makes his return nearly three years removed from a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier.
Watch the full episode below:
