Conor McGregor has revealed a bulkier physique ahead of his comeback fight against Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone on January 18, as UFC release official photos for the fighters ahead of Saturday.McGregor has made the step up from lightweight to welterweight after his 15-month absence from the Octagon.The last time we saw him in the UFC was his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018 at UFC 229.Of course, we all know what happened in the aftermath to that fight, and what happened away from the cage since.However, the Notorious has undoubtedly bulked up, proven by the pre-fight photoshoot pictures that were released recently.

We previously reported that McGregor has engaged in a new strength and conditioning programme with the leap up to welterweight in order to improve his power, and it's now very clear to see just how big he's become.

Cardio, however, has been a worry for fans of McGregor, especially alongside the weight increase. The Irishman's supporters appear concerned about his stamina going into the fight with Cerrone, but only time will tell whether he's conditioned well enough.

Having said that, his only victory in the welterweight division went the distance, against Nate Diaz at UFC 202.

McGregor hasn’t fought at welterweight since 2016, his double bill with Nate Diaz, where the two traded wins.

The Irishman has had two bouts inside the Octagon since, both at lightweight, where he won the UFC lightweight championship against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, before dropping it to Khabib the very next fight.

This will be McGregor’s first fight since his six-month suspension following the aftermath at UFC 229.

Whether McGregor sticks at welterweight remains to be seen, with UFC boss Dana White claiming that the Notorious will be first in line for a rematch with Khabib, meaning a step back down to lightweight.

He has also been called out by Jorge Masvidal, which would likely mean a fourth welterweight bout for the Irishman.

Other names that wish to be in line for a money-spinning fight with McGregor appear to be Dustin Poirier, the Wealdstone Raider and Logan Paul. The latter two appear unlikely, however.