Conor McGregor has confirmed he will compete at welterweight when he makes his UFC return next year.
McGregor, 34, hasn't fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy fight at UFC 264 last July. The former two-weight champion has spent over a year on the sidelines recovering from his injury, but has voiced his desire to get back in the cage and is targeting a return in the first quarter of next year.
There has been speculation as to whether McGregor will compete at lightweight or welterweight in his comeback fight, with his last two fights against Poirier both taking place at 155lb. The Irishman, who has packed on a lot of muscle since breaking his leg, hosted a Twitter Q&A on Tuesday and was asked by a fan if he would fight at 170lb in his next fight, to which he replied: "Definitely".
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McGregor has competed three times at welterweight in the UFC, first moving up to the weight class on short-notice for his fight with Nate Diaz in March 2016 after his original opponent Rafael Dos Anjos pulled out. Diaz submitted McGregor on 11 days' notice, but McGregor went on to outpoint him in their welterweight rematch just several months later.
McGregor's only other welterweight fight was a 40-second knockout of Donald Cerrone in January 2020, as he didn't compete again for over a year and dropped down to lightweight for his next fight. The Irishman was also asked on his Q&A about a potential opponent for his return, but he refused to name one as he replied: "I’m excited to put on clinics. They’ve seen half a page of my dossier."
'Notorious' ruled out a lightweight return when discussing his comeback fight earlier this year, doubling down on his plans to compete at 170lb. "Why cut the weight? I've already won the 155-pound title," he told TheMacLife. "I got myself to a lightweight frame, but I'm big now. I feel strong, I feel healthy, I've got good energy. I'm coming back from a gruesome injury. I don't want to be depleting myself. There should be no need to deplete myself."
