Conor McGregor has given UFC fans a positive update on his road to recovery.
The Irish MMA superstar is expected to be back in action before the end of the year.
The 33-year-old Irishman underwent leg surgery for a broken tibia and fibula he suffered during his trilogy defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in Las Vegas.
But McGregor is apparently feeling much better, telling Severe MMA: “Very good, very good. It's getting there. Day by day I feel better.
“They’re telling me to just take it easy, but I feel I can go, so I feel like I just need to pull the reins back on my own self, so that’s kind of what I’m doing.
"So I’m happy with it, I’m almost back, and that’s it.
"April they said I can spar again and I can box again basically so I'm just going to take it day by day.
"Once I get back to sparring I'll know weight, I'll know feel, I'll know my own style. I'm going to develop a different style I imagine.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 10: Conor McGregor of Ireland walks through the arena before his lightweight bought against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264: Poirier v McGregor 3 at T-Mobile Arena on July 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
"I've been shadow-boxing a lot lately, and I feel like I'm just getting the bearings of myself, I can stop and start and take off.
"It's just a little twist or the torque I've just got to be careful of, but this will be here today, gone tomorrow in my own head.
"The bone will recover, it'll connect back to itself, and it'll be like it never happened."
In McGregor's absence, the lightweight division is back in full swing, with Charles Oliveira set to defend his 155lbs champ belt against Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 274 on May 7.
But Notorious believes that 'Do Bronx' should wait a while instead as he reckons he'll be ready for a return a few months later.
Jul 10, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Conor McGregor before fighting against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
He added: “Is it though? Is it though? It's not announced is it? I don't know either, I've heard things, but I don't know.
"Maybe if your man is wise, he might give it another month or two. July seems okay for me. I can’t say too early.
"But July, if I’m sparring April, May, June, July, I could slap the head off most of these guys at the end of April, do you know what I’m saying? A spar could be a fight. That's the truth.”
The former two-weight world champion is counting down the days until he can make his return to the octagon.
He is currently back home in Ireland after spending time in the United States to complete the final phase of his rehabilitation programme that has kept him out of action for six months.
However, he insists he has nothing left to prove, as he feels he has achieved everything there is to achieve.
McGregor continued: “I’m the double-champ. I went to a different sport. I came back. I know that. I don’t got to prove that.
“It’s just about getting back in and competing and getting myself into pristine condition and getting in and enjoying myself, putting on a show for the fans. That’s it.
"Once I get the leg cleared and I get that feeling when I kick a body, when I step back in and out and get that feel of it, then I’ll be able to gauge time.
“I’m going to isolate myself. I’m going to stay away from the pub. I’m going to stay away from my delicious Forged Irish Stout, from my tasty, smooth Proper Irish Whiskey. I’m going to dedicate myself to my craft 100 per cent.
"Give it a month or two of that and see how everything goes and make the move. There’s no worry, no rush. I know a lot of people are supporting me.
"I want to do them well. I want to do my support well. That’s what we’re going to do.”