New Conor McGregor sparring footage leaks as comeback fight date and opponent confirmed

Footage of Conor McGregor preparing for his UFC return has leaked online after his comeback fight was confirmed by Ariel Helwani.

With McGregor's last outing in the UFC now nearly five years ago, MMA fans have been wondering if we will ever see the former two-weight champion back in the octagon.

Several injuries and a civil sexual assault lawsuit has kept McGregor away from the sport, but recent rumours have suggested he could finally be ready to return this year.

The Irishman was initially booked to comeback in June 2024 but he was forced to pull out of a bout with Ultimate Fighter rival Michael Chandler after he injured his toe.

But, according to MMA journalist Helwani, the UFC is currently planning for McGregor to come back on the UFC's international fight week card on July 11.

As it stands, former featherweight and BMF champion Max Holloway is reported to be McGregor's next opponent in a rematch of their first fight back at the start of Holloway's career in 2013.

The UFC are yet to confirm this fight or anything concrete on McGregor's comeback, but it appears that the man himself may already be back in training camp as footage of him sparring has appeared online.

In a series of clips posted on Instagram by former UFC star Dong Hyun Kim, McGregor could be seen dropping the retired South Korean mixed martial artist with an impressive body shot.

What's the latest on Conor McGregor's UFC return?

The footage, taken at the legendary SBG Ireland gym, is just the latest time that McGregor has been spotted in training in recent weeks, showing he is certainly ramping things up and taking his return seriously.

It has been reported that he is currently splitting his training time between SBG in South Dublin and his personal gym inside his home in County Kildare.

He was even part of an exhibition boxing bout at the Crumlin Boxing Club for their Good Friday Show earlier in April.

All signs point towards McGregor finally coming back in July, with a tough test in Holloway ahead of him inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Elsewhere on the card Liverpool's Paddy Pimblett will reportedly return following his interim lightweight title shot loss to Justin Gaethje in a fight against fellow top contendor Benoit Saint-Denis.

Meanwhile Cory Sandhagen is set to face Mario Bautista with American Olympic gold wrestler Gable Steveson rumoured to be making his highly-anticipated UFC debut having signed with the organisation in April.