Conor McGregor was a lean, 145-pound force of nature when he defeated Jose Aldo in December, claiming the UFC featherweight belt in just 13 seconds with a wicked left-hand punch.
But when McGregor faces off against Nate Diaz at UFC 196 on March 5, they'll be tipping the sacles at 170 pounds—and that means McGregor will have to pack some more muscle on his frame.
The solution: An arduous ring workout with Ido Portal, the "Master of Movement."
Working on the rings today with Ido Portal! pic.twitter.com/1TqQtcc7Vg
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 24, 2016
The move is called a muscle-up. A staple in gymnastics, the muscle-up was popularized in gym settings by CrossFit, and by fighters like McGregor. It's a grueling bodyweight exercise. When performed slowly and with strict form, it challenges an athlete's shoulders, arms, back, and overall core strength to the limits.
Get the money!#RingWork#GettingItpic.twitter.com/5I2UWplOLP
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 29, 2016
McGregor has already predicted that he will knock out Diaz in the first round. We haven’t seen any videos of Diaz doing muscle-ups—so we'll see how he fares against the ambitious Irish champion.
