Conor McGregor unloads on heavy bag, states the count down for comeback "is on"

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Conor McGregor [Image courtesy: @thenotoriousmma via Instagram]

Conor McGregor has been hard at work in the gym as he steps up preparations for his much-anticipated return to competition.

The Irishman looked in phenomenal shape in his latest social media post, in which he can be seen drilling a heavy bag at the Crumlin Boxing Gym. In the accompanying caption, the 33-year-old hinted that his UFC comeback is on the horizon.

Here's what McGregor wrote:

"Right hook tastiness, catch you soon the count down is on."

McGregor has been out of action since breaking his left tibia and fibula last July during his trilogy bout against former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier. 'The Notorious' is in the final stages of recovering and has been training for a few weeks now.

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Dana White gives update on Conor McGregor's UFC return

Conor McGregor has been eying a summer return to the UFC for a while now. However, Dana White believes that an autumn comeback seems more realistic for the Irish megastar.

During a recent interview with The Sun, Dana White explained that fans may have to wait until the fall to see McGregor return to the octagon. The UFC president also stated that the company will look for potential opponents for his return only once he gets the doctor's clearance.

White said:

"I literally have nothing for him right now, he’s not ready. The whole landscape could change over the summer. We will see when he’s ready to fight. And when the doctor gives him 100 percent clearance we’ll start looking at possible opponents. We are looking at early fall if everything goes right. If his leg heals right and he gets the clearance to really start training, then possibly early fall."

While there's no confirmation on who McGregor's next opponent could be, 'The Notorious' has made it clear that he wants to make history by becoming a three-weight champion in the promotion.

With that in mind, the Irishman recently teased a move up to welterweight to fight for the 170-pound belt, currently held by Kamaru Usman.

Catch McGregor talk about a potential Usman fight during an interview with TheMacLife below:

Conor McGregor became the first-ever simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history when he defeated Eddie Alvarez back in November 2016.

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