Conor McGregor's plans for a May trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier have hit a hurdle with the Irish fighter medically suspended for six months after his loss at UFC 257.<\/p>\n
The former two-division champion, 32, was spotted on crutches leaving the arena after Poirier tactically shut him down with a series of devastating kicks to the right leg.<\/p>\n
McGregor's trainer John Kavanagh told ESPN his charge was aiming for a May rematch with Poirier and that a switch to boxing may still be on the cards.<\/p>\n
But now the Irishman will have to wait a little longer than he hoped to redeem himself after he was medically suspended for six months. The soonest McGregor can compete again is July unless he gets a medical clearance.<\/p>\n
McGregor can return to training after 45 days if he receives a negative X-ray on his right tibia\/fibula while he is also banned from contact for 30 days after being knocked out.<\/p>\n
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Poirier received the standard seven days' mandatory rest.<\/p>\n
Speaking on an Instagram Live broadcast, Kavanagh said there's no doubt McGregor will return.<\/p>\n
"We had a big fight and unfortunately we came up short but here's the secret: You will live with it, we are all disappointed but we're OK," Kavanagh said. "In Conor's case, the last six months have been amazing.<\/p>\n
"The discipline and effort he put in \u2026 when you've done that, when you've left no stone unturned, you've made every training session, you've made weight the right way, you've make the walk, competed as hard as you could. Competition has two sides to the coin, winning and losing, and sometimes it's going to fall on the losing side.<\/p>\n
"That's something you have to get used to; the quicker you get used to losing, the quicker you are going to have success."<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"