Conor McGregor has claimed that Chad Mendes is the only opponent to put a “scratch” on him during his career.
McGregor, who has been beaten six times a professional MMA fighter, is preparing for a return to UFC after suffering a serious leg injury last summer.
A training clip shared by the Irishman was criticised by former two-weight UFC champion Henry Cejudo, who suggested that McGregor would be wise to develop his defensive plans and wrestling skill, rather than focus on striking.
Cejudo’s comment was responded to by McGregor, who claimed that bare-knuckle boxer Mendes was the fighter who had caused him the most difficulty during his career, hence his focus on “nasty shots”.
“Try and hold,” McGregor wrote in a since deleted tweet. “I don’t care, I’m trying to find nasty shots to end a person here.
“Them elbows are no joke. Nor the upkicks. Everyone’s ground and pound is p***. Not a scratch has there ever been on me. [Chad] Mendes [was the] only one. Fair play all the same; bare-knuckle Chad.”
McGregor beat Mendes in 2015 to claim the interim UFC Featherweight title at UFC 189.
Jose Aldo had been due to defend the belt against McGregor but was forced to withdraw due to injury, then losing a rearranged encounter in 13 seconds later in the year.
Nate Diaz, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier (twice) have since all beaten McGregor in the ring, while the 33-year-old also lost his first, and to date only, professional boxing match against Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
He is nonetheless keen to return to the ring this year having recovered from the broken tibia suffered in defeat to Poirier last July.
“You learn so much each time in competition,” McGregor said. “It’s actually madness. Competition is life! Can’t wait to return. 22!”
