Conor McGregor insists he is closing in on his return to the UFC octagon as the Dubliner continues his recovery from the horror leg-break he suffered in defeat to Dustin Poirier last July.
McGregor is taking in the sights and sounds at the Monaco GP as Formula One racing rolls into the French Riviera for the huge annual race.
When quizzed on his return to fitness by Sky Sports, McGregor was upbeat, saying: "The body's doing good, I'm out here with my full team. Obviously I'm enjoying the Monaco Grand Prix, and after that we're going to up the training bit-by-bit.
"I should be able to kick now, I've another CT-scan in the coming days, and then I'll be cleared to kick. Once I can kick and grapple, I'll be back in in no time.
"Boxing training is going well, and strength training, so I'm excited to get back."
The 33-year-old former two-weight UFC champion - who is a Manchester United fan - also gave his Champions League final prediction, with Liverpool meeting Real Madrid in the decider at the Stade de France.
He said: "I've family in Liverpool, I'm a supporter of Liverpool and Real Madrid also... I'll have to go with 'The Pool' for this one."
Meanwhile, McGregor has been in the headlines for other reasons today as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has apparently been critical of the fighter for his 2018 picture with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The Irish Independent reports that Zelensky made the comment while engaged in a meeting with Irish dignitaries in Kyiv last weekend.
The Irish delegation was headed by Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Seanad Cathaoirleach Mark Daly and they were apparently told by Zelensky that he had once been a fan of the MMA icon up until he happily smiled alongside Putin at the 2018 World Cup final, which was held in Moscow.
Daly is quoted as saying: “He (Zelensky) felt he (McGregor) wasn’t being supportive of Ukraine. This man is fighting a war but he knows what’s going on all around the world including in Ireland."
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