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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Martin Domin

Conor McGregor drug-tested four times after being sent warning

Conor McGregor was drug-tested four times in the weeks after Joe Rogan joked that the Dubliner could expect a visit "real soon".

The UFC star has spent the last few months bulking up to 190lb as he recovers from the broken leg he suffered against Dustin Poirier.

His coach John Kavanagh insists he will return to lightweight for his summer comeback despite piling on the pounds.

But McGregor has looked far more like a welterweight in recent weeks, reports The Mirror.

And before Christmas, Rogan quipped that his muscle-bound frame would attract the attention of the drug testers.

“That’s him now, super jacked,” Rogan said on his podcast. “USADA is going to take a visit to him real soon. It’s a weird picture. He’s definitely jacked but it looks to me he’s in the middle of lifting.

Conor McGregor (Instagram/ Conor McGregor)

"If you see a guy’s body in the middle of lifting, it’s a little deceptive. When you lift weights as you do it, like those bodybuilders that go on stage, they all get pumped. But he looks great."

Since then, McGregor has been one of the most-tested athletes on the UFC roster, giving samples four times since the turn of the year.

All athletes are subject to random and regular testing by USADA but only a handful, such as middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who defended his title last weekend, have been tested more often.

McGregor's frame is a far cry from his early days in the UFC when he weighed 145lb - but Kavanagh insists his charge will return to the 155lb division.

Conor McGregor (Instagram/ Conor McGregor)

"I don't think it will be all that difficult to be honest," he told Fox Sports when asked about McGregor making a weight cut. "He has made some pretty dramatic weight cuts in the past.

"155lbs seems to suit his frame, at the moment yeah light-heavyweight he is more suited towards but by the summertime when he is ready to return, the weight will be back down again.

"The physical stage of recovery is pretty much complete now, you have seen your posts himself. He has been enjoying himself over Christmas but he is ready to get back to that serious side of training and get ready for another contest.

"I'm just excited to see him back in there. It is always a big occasion, there isn't much like a McGregor fight week. It doesn't really matter you say any name and it's exciting, but probably the Diaz trilogy would be a fan favourite."

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