Conor McGregor says he hasn't had alcohol in months but 'drank all week' before fighting Khabib Nurmagomedov

Getty/Brandon Magnus

McGregor lost to Nurmagomedov via submission in October 2018.

• Conor McGregor says he drank heavily ahead of his October 2018 defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, but that he's since gone sober ahead of his return to the Octagon this weekend.
• The Irishman was comprehensively beaten by Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, losing via fourth round submission, and has not competed since.
• "Good couple of months ago, three or four months ago maybe," he told ESPN when asked how long it had been since he'd drank. "I was drinking all the way through fight week last time (for Nurmagomedov)."
• He also said he'd often celebrate sparring victories during the build-up to the fight by going out for "three days" at a time.
• "I'm not going back there," he said. "I'm in a better place."
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Conor McGregor says he drank heavily ahead of his October 2018 defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, but that he's since gone sober ahead of his return to the Octagon this weekend.

The Irishman was comprehensively beaten by Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, losing to the Russian via fourth round submission, after which a huge cageside brawl between the two teams erupted.

McGregor has not fought since, however takes on Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone in his comeback bout in Las Vegas on Sunday.

"Good couple of months ago, three or four months ago maybe," he told ESPN when asked how long it had been since he'd had an alcoholic drink. "I was drinking all the way through fight week last time (for Nurmagomedov). I just had this venom in me or something. I don't know why."

McGregor also detailed how he'd often celebrate sparring victories in training during the build-up to the fight by going missing for days at a time.

"I had people holed up in a hotel from that part of the world, and I would ring and arrange a fight and I would ring them and they would come down to the gym and have a full-blown fight - no head guard, gloves that were small.

"I'd win, I'd have a war, and I'd win and I'd knock the guy out then I'd go off and celebrate. Then I'd come back in three days - not doing what I should've been doing, not living the life I should've been."

Since however, McGregor says he's learned from his mistakes and is "in a good spot" ahead of his clash with Cerrone.

"I'm not going back there," he said. "I'm in a better place. I've made mistakes and I've been man enough to admit them and correct it, and that's what I've done.

"I might not be perfect, but with a good sleep and a full belly, I'm damn close."

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