'Beyond washed' - New Conor McGregor training footage leaves fans still concerned

After almost five years without any octagon action, Conor McGregor is hurtling towards a comeback fight, as he will appear at UFC 329 in July.

Set to join Max Holloway on the canvas, the former two-belt champion has been making a recovery since breaking his leg in his last outing.

The injury in the trilogy match with Dustin Poirier saw retirement talk circulate about McGregor, especially after he cancelled his 'comeback' fight in 2024 due to a reported toe problem.

In typical McGregor fashion, he announced his return to UFC action on social media earlier this year, saying that he would 'son' Hollaway again, some 13 years after their first fight, which the Irishman won.

However, with the fight just two months away, videos circulating of his training have gotten fans worried.

McGregor fans worried by 'stiff' and 'washed' training footage

Having evolved into a range of different versions of himself throughout a long fighting career, McGregor looks to be running back the brute buzzcut phase, opting for power over pace.

A new clip posted on social media has shown the 37-year-old going to town on the pads with one of the largest frames that he's adopted yet.

Straight off the bat, fans claimed that he looks clunky and stiff.

"He does not seem smooth at all bro," said the poster, predicting a round-three knockout by Holloway

"I see stiffness when I look in the McGregor division. They're stuck in the mud," said another.

This comes after other fighters have claimed that McGregor should have retired, and any fights he undertakes now will only ruin his fighting legacy.

Earlier this month, British UFC star Arnold Allen said, "I don't think McGregor should come back. He's made his money."

"The only thing he can do is now is tar his career by staying too long. He's done everything."

Five years out of the ring is a long time for even a younger fighter, and fans are drawing the conclusion that his return to fighting must have ulterior motives.

"I think he needs the money, but he’s beyond washed. Literally nothing like himself now, he’s a thudding boxer with no speed or power lol," another fan added.

This might not be the only fight McGregor is planning, either, meaning he will need to put on a show that can convince people he's still capable of winning.

Should he come through the Holloway fight unscathed, there could be a huge fight with the current UFC middleweight champion, Khamzat Chimaev, as a follow-up.