Conor McGregor, a former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, has hinted at a potential comeback to the octagon in 2019.
"I am launching rockets in 19", The Notorious tweeted on Monday, sharing a photo of himself blasting a punching bag.
A handful of MMA enthusiasts said that they were looking forward to the comeback of the flamboyant Irishman.
It definitely sounds like @TheNotoriousMMA plans to fight again in 2019! #UFC #MMA https://t.co/ifuDp2qtuh
— BJ Penn (@bjpenndotcom) 18 декабря 2018 г.
Ada boy back to the roots, timing precision… no surprise there motherf**kers @TheNotoriousMMA the king is back!!!😎🦍🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/9UMrcD5EX6
— Jeffrey Taylor (@jm_taleto) 18 декабря 2018 г.
We cant wait champ!
— The Official Simonetti Source (@SimonettiSource) 18 декабря 2018 г.
The Irishman's latest bout was against Khabib Nurmagomedov in early October. The Russian grappler forced Conor to submit by a neck crank late in round 4, reclaiming the lightweight title and extending his unbeaten streak to 27 fights.
Shortly after the fight, which ended with a mass brawl between Khabib and Conor's camps, McGregor said that he was "looking forward to the rematch". Khabib's father also said that his son was up for a rematch.
It seems, however, that the prospects for another Conor-Khabib super clash remain vague. The Russian ace has shifted his attention to other rivals, challenging Floyd "Money" Mayweather, the retired undefeated WBA and WBC champion.
READ MORE: Conor McGregor's Days in UFC May Be Numbered, Coach Alleges
UFC president Dana White has earlier conjectured that Khabib could face MMA fighters Tony Ferguson and Dustin Poirier in the future, but also did not rule out a rematch with Conor.
The two have been suspended and Nurmagomedov's purse was withheld after a post-fight melee that broke out after their October bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. They are expected to appear before the Nevada State Athletic Commission on 29 January, but they are reportedly negotiating toward a settlement deal to avoid a public hearing.
Seconds after tapping out McGregor at UFC 229, Khabib leapt over the fence to target his rival's jiu-jitsu coach in the crowd, with the arena descending into mayhem. The melee marked the latest crescendo in relations between the two fighters, which got hot in April, when The Notorious shattered the window of a bus transporting Nurmagomedov and his team with a metal dolly, injuring lightweight fighter Michael Chiesa. The attack was preceded by a heated exchange between the Russian UFC fighter and McGregor's friend, Artem Lobov.
