KEY POINTS

  • Conor McGregor's comeback UFC fight is scheduled for Saturday
  • He is set to face Donald Cerrone in Las Vegas
  • McGregor did not fight since his loss in October 2018

Conor McGregor insisted that he is in a “better place” than he was a few years ago ahead of his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) comeback Saturday.

After losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018, the Irishman disappeared from the UFC circle. McGregor, who is known to have a more aggressive nature, is looking to be calm and composed before his comeback UFC 246 match, which is against Donald Cerrone in Las Vegas.

“People want the old Conor, the 2016 Conor, but I feel I'm in a better place than that. That's certainly a drive of mine, to be a better version of myself. Then I use the goals and aspirations I have to help me achieve that and push the boundaries,” the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athlete said in a recent interview.

Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor of Ireland looks on in the octagon before competing against Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia in their UFC lightweight championship bout during the UFC 229 event inside T-Mobile Arena on October 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Harry How/Getty Images

Since his previous fight, McGregor has found himself in legal trouble multiple times. He was involved in an assault on a bus full of fighters during a fight week event for UFC 223 in 2018. The boxer was then charged with robbery for destroying a mobile phone at a hotel in Miami - the case was later settled out of court and the charges were dropped. The former UFC champion then pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in a Dublin pub over the man’s refusal to drink McGregor’s "Proper 12" whiskey.

The worst charges have come recently as McGregor has been linked to two separate sex assault cases where the verdict is awaited. Despite these charges, the UFC are allowing him to participate again.

McGregor recently blamed the lack of a disciplined training schedule for his recent volatile behavior. “Structure was missing. So I was sporadic with my work and with my life. I'm a lot more centered now, a lot more grounded, a lot more focused,” McGregor explained.