Conor McGregor has claimed he will "slice" his next opponent as he eyes a UFC return this year.
The superstar has not fought since breaking his leg in defeat by Dustin Poirier in July 2021 but has resumed a lengthy period of rehabilitation to prepare him for his return which is expected this year. He has been showing off a bulky physique and has documented his path to recovery on social media throughout his UFC absence.
Throughout his time out of the Octagon, McGregor has vowed to return to his best and has even promised fans the "greatest comeback ever". In a fresh tweet, the 34-year-old has asked potential rivals to form an orderly queue, tweeting: “I’m going to slice through someone on return. Trust that. And I don’t care who. Line up.”
A number of potential rivals have already stated their claim to become McGregor's first opponent when he is able to compete, including Michael Chandler and Jorge Masvidal. McGregor has firmly claimed that he will return at 170lb after bulking in weight since his last cut to 155lb for his showdowns with Poirier.
However, it is uncertain when his return can take place given his absence from the USADA drug testing pool. UFC kingpin Dana White confirmed that fighters must be registered for random testing at least six months before competing.
McGregor suggested he will re-enrol but has also claimed that he could look to exploit a loophole and find exemption to return earlier than planned. There is plenty of room for improvement for McGregor, who has just won in the UFC since 2018, which came two years later in quick-fire fashion against Donald Cerrone.
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It is expected that Chandler will most likely receive the call for McGregor, particularly given his openness to switch to 170lb to secure the fight. The American is also open to fighting as late as July if his potential foe's comeback continues to be delayed. "People will say I’m chasing the 'Red Panty Night' and I’m chasing the payday," Chandler told ESPN.
"And yes, that’s a part of it, it’s always going to be a part of the conversation that people talk about when you’re fighting Conor McGregor, but I want battlegrounds of epic proportions. I want the brightest lights. I want the biggest platforms. I want to go out there on the verge of a heart attack because the moment is so big. And what is bigger than fighting Conor McGregor? And at this point, him coming back, what is bigger? I’ve got to be the most electrifying man in the UFC right now.
"It’s the biggest fight to make, it’s the most PPV sales that can be made right now, at this current juncture, in the entire world of MMA, I think Conor knows it, I think the UFC knows it, and I think it’s going to happen International Fight Week of 2023.”
