UFC News: Conor McGregor back to sparring for first time since leg break

Conor McGregor is back to sparring for the first time in almost a year. The Irishman recently posted pictures of his first spar since breaking his fibula and tibia during his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier last year. The pictures appear to be from the Crumlin Boxing Club, where 'Notorious' has recently been prepping for his comeback.

Take a look at the pictures from McGregor's first spar on his way to a return:

For those wondering, Conor McGregor is the one on the left wearing the Irish-themed gloves, headgear, and abdominal guard.

The Irishman eventually decided to lose his t-shirt and continue the rest of the session shirtless.

Although simply a deduction from the images, Conor McGregor's injured left leg appears to have come a long way. The Irishman can support his weight, turn his foot to leverage his punches, and make his way across the ring with relative ease. However, this is still conjectured until we can watch a video of him sparring post recovery.

It's also important to note that McGregor is still only working on his boxing. It may be a while before he starts throwing kicks and grapples on the mat. The Irishman's first MMA sparring session may still be a while away.

Check out Conor McGregor's post below:

In July last year, McGregor faced Dustin Poirier in a highly anticipated trilogy bout at UFC 264. The former double champ suffered a gruesome injury at the end of the first round, following which 'The Diamond' was declared the winner via TKO (doctor stoppage).

The Irishman's fans will be very pleased with his latest update, as the former double champ's comeback seems to be in motion after undergoing rehab for the better part of the year. The 33-year-old had also recently posted a video of him doing defensive drills at the same gym.

While McGregor is arguably the biggest draw in the sport, he has gone 1-3 in his last four outings. However, this did not stop the Irishman from calling out lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for a title shot on his return. Additionally, 'Notorious' also seems to be eyeing Kamaru Usman's welterweight title.

Conor McGregor might soon be able to decide which weight class he will return at

While many fighters have criticized the idea of Conor McGregor jumping the title queue, the Irishman might make a bid for UFC gold on his return nonetheless. Charles Oliveira, Kamaru Usman, and even UFC president Dana White didn't seem opposed to the idea of giving McGregor a title shot return.

However, 'Notorious' himself was previously unsure which weight class he would return to. The Irishman had claimed that he was likely to make that decision once he started sparring. He said in an interview with Severe MMA:

"April they said I can spar and box again so I can take it day-by-day. Once I return to sparring I will know my weight, I will know how I feel and I will know my style. I’m not sure yet to be honest... 155lbs or 170lbs I would imagine, but I am not sure yet."

Watch Conor McGregor's interview with Severe MMA below: