Conor McGregor looks almost unrecognisable nowadays compared to an interview he did seven years ago as a featherweight, as Notorious has continued to beef himself up over the years.

As we all know, McGregor likes showing off his crazily good physique on Instagram and Twitter, a theme which has continued especially now that he’s gearing up for a return to the Octagon next year.

The Irishman has been out of action for the best part of a year following a freak leg injury in his TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

Despite his inactivity, he remains one of the biggest names on the UFC’s roster and has been eying up a return to the welterweight division, putting rivals on notice with training videos galore.

While we may not know the former double division champion’s future, we sure can take a look back into the past.

Conor McGregor back at featherweight

Many recognise that McGregor dominated at the featherweight level a number of years ago, but making weight was a massive challenge for the young Notorious one.

Just watch the interview below and look how different and almost frail he looks!

Video: Conor McGregor looking so different at featherweight

It has been well documented throughout the years that making weight is one of combat sports’ biggest tasks because if it’s not done correctly, it can have many side effects for a fighter.

In the interview from January 2015, the Dublin native said: “I lose my f****** mind up there on that stage. I threw my shorts, I threw my top, I threw my hat.

“One more throw and it was my jocks coming off, you know what I mean?

“I cut the weight. Now I bring it down. Now I let it go cold. I wanted to make that championship weight to let people know that they are looking at the new champion.”

McGregor hated cutting weight

After his victory over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246, the Irishman described how gruelling it was to get his body down to the right weight.

Conor McGregor looking jacked now

He said: “I’ve experienced it all. I’ve experienced near blackouts. For the Mendes weight cut, I had no nutritionist.

“I did it all myself, and it was a heavy wet cut. For the Aldo one, I did it correctly, and I felt ok. I had amazing success down there."

What is McGregor's best UFC moment?

One of McGregor’s most iconic moments came against Jose Aldo, which saw the Irish born star knock out the Brazilian in just 13 seconds.

His charisma is one of the biggest reasons for his rise in popularity, but his career hasn’t always gone exactly to plan.

What division he chooses to fight in when he makes his eventual return remains to be seen.

Will McGregor beefing himself up help his cause in the welterweight division, or do you think he might be too small to compete with the best there?