Conor McGregor was in Chicago for "Paddy's week" celebrations over the weekend, and he seems to have been enjoying himself.
Speaking to the city's ABC affiliate network at the annual parade, The Notorious expressed his gratitude to the people of the Illinois metropolis and had a special word for the city's plumbers.
Conor Mcgregor's @ABC7Chicago Interview from the Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade! Check out his official Sash and Green shoes! @TheNotoriousMMA #ConorMcgregor 🍀#Irish #Chicago #ProperTwelve @ProperWhiskey #ufc #chicagoriver #stpattyday pic.twitter.com/4RGoJpmSdp
— Noko E Kim (@NokoKim) March 16, 2019
I'm very grateful to the people of Chicago, and the plumbers! The plumbers who actually got me here, 'cause I used to be a plumber back home in Ireland, you know it's not an easy job.
That's what I did before I started fighting. So the plumbers got me here!
The plumbers are the ones who dye the river green also! I wasn't awae of that until I arrived here so big respect to the plumbers.
The Dubliner went on to describe the differences in the festivities Stateside as opposed to back home, saying that he'll be petitioning for a full week of celebrations in the motherland as opposed to only celebrating on the feast day itself.
Asked what his upcoming fight plans were, the Crumlin born superstar said that he hoped to be back in the octagon this summer.
We're currently in negotiations. We're aiming for July. We'll see what happens.
I'm staying ready. This morning I was doing incline sprints on the treadmill on my program - the McGregor Fast Program - stay in a hotel room. So we're staying on it, getting work in as we go.
McGregor was last in action in October when all hell broke loose after his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in Las Vegas. After the Russian had beaten McGregor he scaled the octagon in pursuit of the Irishman's training partner Dillon Danis, whilst McGregor and Khabib's cousin Abubakar threw down inside the ring. Both men were fined and received lengthy bans at the start of 2019 for their roles in the disturbance.
McGregor's ban will be lifted next month and he has been pedalling rumours of a contest against Donald Cerrone or even a potential rematch with old advisory Nate Diaz on social media in recent weeks.