Footage of Conor McGregor’s comeback sparring with Dong Hyun Kim leaves fans unconvinced

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Conor McGregor appeared to get the better of a sparring session with former UFC fighter Dong Hyun Kim, but that hasn’t been enough to win over fans.

The former two-division champion has been out of action since 2021 when he broke his leg during his third fight with Dustin Poirier. He’s expected to make his comeback this summer against Max Holloway at UFC 329 and has already been training for most of the year.

Last month, McGregor invited ‘Stun Gun’ Kim to SBG Ireland in Dublin for a few rounds. New footage shared by Kim shows McGregor looking sharp even in what seemed to be a lighter session.

Fans react to Conor McGregor’s sparring session with Dong Hyun Kim

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It was clear that McGregor was getting the better of the exchanges, with Kim appearing a bit taken aback by the level of intensity. Still, many viewers weren’t impressed, believing the Irishman has noticeably declined since his peak years.

McGregor hasn’t won a fight since January 2020, and by the time he returns in July, it will have been over six and a half years. Even recent training footage from his current camp has shown him looking slower than he did in his prime.

One viewer commented: “Conor is DONE. All this performative s— will get him killed now. This ain’t 2016 UFC. Doesn’t matter who he fights. He’s going to lose badly.” Others questioned whether McGregor was even taking things seriously.

Criticism also extended to Kim as a sparring partner, with one fan saying: “Dong barely threw any punches. McGregor’s downfall has always been having s— sparring partners.