Conor McGregor is back in the gym, and the footage is sparking plenty of debate among fight fans. The former two-division UFC champion recently shared sparring sessions with retired welterweight Dong Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim at SBG Ireland in Dublin, and while McGregor appeared to land the better shots, many viewers remain skeptical about his readiness for a comeback.
McGregor hasn't stepped into the Octagon since July 2021, when he suffered a gruesome broken leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier. Now, with a potential return rumored for this summer—possibly against Max Holloway at UFC 329—the Irishman has been putting in work since early in the year. The new clips show McGregor moving well and landing clean strikes, even in what looked like a controlled, lighter session. Kim, a seasoned veteran with 22 UFC fights under his belt, seemed caught off guard by the pace at times.
But the reaction online has been far from unanimous. Many fans pointed out that McGregor hasn't won a fight since January 2020, meaning by the time he returns in July, it will have been over six and a half years since his last victory. Some viewers noted that even his recent training footage shows a slower, less explosive version of the fighter who once ruled the featherweight and lightweight divisions.
"Conor is DONE. All this performative s— will get him killed now," one fan commented. "This ain't 2016 UFC. Doesn't matter who he fights. He's going to lose badly." Others questioned whether McGregor was taking the sparring seriously enough, with a different user adding, "Dong barely threw any punches. McGregor's downfall has always been having s— sparring partners. The guy's main sparring partner in his prime was a 13-15 Artem Lobov—it's amazing he accomplished what he did with such s—-y sparring partners lol."
It's worth noting that Kim wasn't officially part of McGregor's training camp—he was simply passing through Ireland on holiday and accepted the invitation to spar. Most of McGregor's recent work has been alongside PFL fighter Eoin Sheridan, who just defeated Chris Mixan and is expected to crack the top ten rankings soon. So while the footage with Kim might not tell the full story, it's clear that the MMA world is watching every move McGregor makes as he prepares for what could be the most important fight of his career.