Conor McGregor's return to SBG Ireland HQ helped to add to the gym's "momentum and buzz", according to Bellator star Ciaran Clarke.
The former two-weight UFC champion's preparations for a return to the cage took another big step last week when he was spotted training alongside teammates Richie Smullen and Darragh Kelly. And Clarke, who had been training between SBG's Dublin HQ and his own base in Drogheda, says that McGregor's presence has reminded fighters in the gym what is possible in the sport.
McGregor arrived dressed to the nines in one of his custom suits, before getting back on the mats for a session at the gym; his first in over a year since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier last summer. Clarke narrowly missed a run-in with the former champion, but says that his presence is always felt around the gym.
"I spend most of my time at HQ," Clarke told Mirror Fighting in an exclusive chat at Bellator's Dublin Fan Fest, where supporters had a chance to meet fighters before the promotion's Irish return on September 23. "I train there five or six days a week and then the evenings in Drogheda, I trek up and back in the mornings.
"I was there [the day McGregor returned] all week but I just missed him. He came in whenever it was, Thursday evening. I was there most mornings.
"Look, all of us are preparing for the same fight, there's a bit of a buzz, a momentum and everybody's on the same path. Then you see the likes of Conor, or James [Gallagher], the superstars, in the gym it's something we all look to achieve one day.
"It's proof of where the hard work can get you. Obviously I'm not saying I can get to that level, of course, but it's just a nice reminder that the hard work we're doing in SBG is working."
Clarke is currently in camp for his own cage return, which takes place at Bellator Dublin in September. He faces Georges Sasu, who holds a 5-2 record, and the Drogheda native will headline the prelim portion of a card that features former UFC champion Benson Henderson, Yoel Romero, Leah McCourt, James Gallagher and Peter Queally.
Are you excited for Conor McGregor's return to the octagon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
And he is confident that he can continue his unbeaten professional start and go 6-0 with another impressive victory in front of his home fans. "I love fighting in Dublin," he explained.
"I love it, but I also like to fight abroad because there's so much pressure, everything's magnified. Don't get me wrong, the win is something that nothing can come close to.
"I just focus on each fight and look at the fella in front of me, all I can do is beat him. It's mad though because I've been around a long time, but now I'm still focusing on what's in front of me."
Tickets for BELLATOR 285 are now on sale and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.ie and Bellator.com
