CONOR MCGREGOR fought back a wave of emotions as he reflected on his hiatus from the octagon.
The Irishman, 35, hasn't set foot inside the cage since breaking his leg in his Las Vegas trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier two-and-a-half years ago.
McGregor is fighting fit and ready to return to action next year after a long and arduous recovery, although he still bears the psychological scars of that fateful night in Sin City.
The Notorious said this past weekend: “I’ve been kept from my living for almost three years now.
“Understand that. I came through what I came through. I’m sitting on an injury and a loss.
"You hear what Alexander Volkanovski said? I relate. I must return to my way of living.
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"This is my job. It’s beyond frustrating. … I just want the date. Give me the date, please. That’s it.”
McGregor put the wheels in motion for his long-awaited comeback fight with Michael Chandler by re-entering the USADA drug testing pool.
Although the UFC's partnership with the anti-doping agency ends on December 31, they plan to keep McGregor on ice for the six months he would've required to be in the pool had a new deal been reached.
That lines up perfectly for a blockbuster return in April, the month UFC 300 is expected to take place.
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And that timeline works perfectly for the Dubliner, who said: “I’m happy with April.
“I would’ve loved it earlier, but if I’m to be honest and be realistic, for my fans, I want to put in a good run, build myself back, and that’s it.
"It’s looking like April, mixed martial arts.”
Former three-time Bellator lightweight champion Chandler was announced as the opposite half of McGregor's comeback fight back in February.
McGregor has flirted with several other bouts on social media in recent months but believes Chandler is still his most likely opponent.
The UFC's first simultaneous two-weight world champion said: “It’s whoever they want.
"I won’t ever say no. I just want a date. I won’t ever say no to no one, yeah?
"Chandler is what it seems to be. It does not matter to me as long as I get back in there.”
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