Conor McGregor is being tipped by teammate and Bellator title contender Peter Queally to remind fans why he's "one of the best" when he makes his return to the UFC.
The legendary former two-weight world champion has won just once since 2016, when he took the lightweight belt from Eddie Alvarez with a punch-perfect performance at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden. He's managed to maintain his fame through an unfortunate 1-3 run which has been plagued with injuries, and is still MMA's biggest star.
And Queally, who last year fought for lightweight gold in Bellator, is confident that he will prove why he's still an elite fighter when he makes his return, which is expected next summer. The Irishman has been out with a broken leg since his trilogy with Dustin Poirier in July of last year, and has bulked up considerably to 195lb, meaning he will return at welterweight.
"I'm always there to help Conor and I've been a part of his camps now for many, many years," Queally said of McGregor while speaking to Mirror Fighting at Bellator and FM104's Christmas Toy Drive in the pair's home gym of SBG Ireland. "I'm looking forward to seeing him get back.
"He looks phenomenal at the weight and as big as he looks on Instagram he looks bigger in the flesh somehow, so I'm looking forward to seeing him at welterweight with a big welterweight frame and getting in there and reminding people why he's one of the best."
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Queally is back in action on February 25 at the 3Arena, where he is a fan favourite amongst his home crowd. And he is plotting three fights next year, with one over the summer and a September or October homecoming. That summer bout, he reckons, could coincide with McGregor's return, and he will be in camp with his teammate if called upon.
"When he fought Diaz and Cerrone he was a lightweight fighting at welterweight," Queally explained of McGregor's newfound size. "Diaz was a bigger guy and more like a real welterweight but him and Cerrone were basically two lightweights deciding 'let's fight at welterweight'. But now, he is a welterweight, I can confirm this.
"It's quite incredible how strong and big he is, and I'm looking forward to seeing it because over the years even when he was a featherweight and he had to make 145lb, he would hit you in sparring and it was like kissing the express train. It was just crazy. I'm not looking forward to sparring him, to be honest, with this size that he has on now."
