Conor McGregor captivated the world during his time as a featherweight. But this interview highlights just how challenging the weight cut was for ‘The Notorious’.
The Irishman is one of the biggest stars in the history of the UFC. His thunderous left hand, innate ability to accurately pick the results of his contests and charisma on the mic made him into a pop-cultural phenomenon.
He began his stint in the promotion in the 145-pound weight class and engrossed the planet with his staggering knockouts. But the Dubliner had only one goal—to rip the world championship away from Jose Aldo.
McGregor met the Brazilian icon at UFC 194 in one of the biggest contests of all time. Pundits questioned whether the charismatic prospect was ready for the longest-reigning featherweight champion in the sport. But it took him just 13 seconds to knock Aldo out cold and prove all the doubters wrong.
Read: Conor McGregor next fight: Five potential opponents for ‘The Notorious’
The fighter moved up to lightweight and welterweight following the bout due to struggles to make the featherweight limit. He has had mixed results in his new weight classes.
In one of the most outstanding performances we’ve ever seen, he ripped the 155-pound belt away from Eddie Alvarez. But since then, he’s lost three of his last four outings, leaving him in no man’s land. However, MMA enthusiasts are still desperate to see his return.
‘The Notorious’ has got a lot heavier
McGregor’s social media pages are providing fans with a bizarre scrolling experience. One minute he’s posting weird videos of himself in bed eating ice cream, and the next, he’s posting snaps of his new physique.
However, as good as he looks from an aesthetic perspective, his new build will only hamper him upon his return as he cuts the weight. He’d have to cut 20 pounds just to compete at welterweight. And he’s never even performed at his optimum potential in that division.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this whole thing is how different he used to look in his featherweight days.
Conor McGregor looked like a different man at featherweight
The combat sports legend performed at his best during his time in the featherweight division. However, as the interview below shows, cutting the pounds to make that limit provided a very stern challenge.
He said: “I lose my f***ing mind up there on that stage. I threw my shorts, I threw my top, I threw my hat. One more throw and it was my jocks coming off, you know what I mean?
“I cut the weight. Now I bring it down. Now I let it go cold. I wanted to make that championship weight to let people know that they are looking at the new champion.”
The general public isn’t generally aware of the difficulties of making weight. Whether it’s running up and down hills in a sweatsuit, spending extended time in the sauna or bathing in a salt bath, it’s very tough.
An incorrect cut can dictate the result of a fight. An athlete could go into a contest with hampered punch defence or a considerably drained gas tank.
Following his victory at UFC 246 against Donald Cerrone, McGregor revealed his experiences of grinding his body down to 145 pounds.
He said: “I’ve experienced it all. I’ve experienced near blackouts. For the Mendes weight cut, I had no nutritionist. I did it all myself, and it was a heavy wet cut. For the Aldo one, I did it correctly, and I felt ok. I had amazing success down there.”
McGregor is in a difficult position right now. He’s arguably too small to compete with the elite at welterweight. He’s lost to the best at 155. And the cut to featherweight would potentially do damage to his ageing body. But if he could make it back down, perhaps this could be the move to revitalise his career.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
