Legendary Crumlin BC coach Phil Sutcliffe will help Conor McGregor prepare for his big UFC comeback this month.

‘The Notorious’ returns to the octagon for the first time since October 2018 when he headlines UFC 246 on January 18.

The former two weight UFC champ takes on ‘The Cowboy’ Donald Cerrone as he looks to bounce back from his Khabib Nurmagomedov defeat.

The former Crumlin amateur has spent some time back in Crumlin BC of late. He returned for ticking over purposes earlier in the year and fought on the famous Good Friday show.

The MMA star name spent more serious time beside Pearse Park in more recent months, sparring some boxers and fighting John Joe Joyce in a Christmas show exhibition.

It’s also quite possible he was getting some striking guidance off his old amateur coach Sutcliffe. It certainly seems McGregor, who has consulted Celtic Warriors coach Pascal Collins in the past, found his time in Crumlin valuable as he has taken Sutcliffe and Bra Brady to Las Vegas to be part of his last number of weeks prep.

It’s unsure what roll either will have, but if they were just in Vegas as cheerleaders they would have flown out a lot closer to the fight.

Irish-boxing.com understands Sutliffe and Brady will play a part in the backroom team which is lead by John Kavanagh. Their specific rolls are unknown, but it would be safe to surmise the Crumlin stalwarts will help out with striking element of the sport. As well as his training gear.

Famous Kilkenny cut man Andy O’Neill is also in Las Vegas and said to be part of the camp.

Speaking previously about Crumlin BC and Sutcliffe McGregor said: “Phil Sutcliffe is a phenomenal boxing coach and my time under Phil in Crumlin Boxing Club, I learned so many fundamentals that I still carry with me today. I learned so many shots off Phil and the coaching staff down there and the sparring with Phil Sutcliffe Jnr in my early days was phenomenal, it got me to that next level I feel.

“It’s a phenomenal gym with great, great people. I believe Phil has recently renovated his place and I must go down when I get back home.

“I stopped going down when I was focusing on the other disciplines and looking to improve. Phil at the time was not too happy with that. ‘Why are you doing this grappling stuff? Or ‘why are you doing this kick boxing? You should be here boxing’.

“It was all friendly stuff but eventually I moved on and ended up at Straight Blast Gym. But my time at Crumlin Boxing Club, I learned so much fundamentals that still stand to me today.”





