Sunday 27 March 2016 15:03, UK
Conor McGregor has been advised to fight as a lightweight by his main training partner Gunnar Nelson.
The Irishman has options in three weight divisions - he won the UFC featherweight (145lbs) title in December, was due to challenge for the lightweight (155lbs) belt earlier this month but instead lost a welterweight (170lbs) clash against Nate Diaz.
His striking coach Owen Roddy told Sky Sports last week that a possible rematch with Diaz would also be at 170lbs, but fellow welterweight Nelson wants to see his training partner drop down again.
I think lightweight is a nice weight for Conor, I believe that's his weight class.
"I think lightweight would be good," Iceland's Nelson exclusively told Sky Sports. "It's not too much of a cut for him, and it's a step up from featherweight.
"I think lightweight is a nice weight for Conor, I believe that's his weight class."
The muscle that McGregor added to his frame to jump up two weight divisions in just three months has led to doubts about whether he will ever be capable of defending his featherweight title.
And although Diaz is likely to be his next task, McGregor's team-mate insists that he could drop back to featherweight if a defence against Frankie Edgar allures him.
"He hasn't really got bigger, he always gets this big between fights - this is his usual walking-around weight," said Nelson, who will fight Albert Tumenov in Rotterdam in May.
"He basically stepped in against Diaz with his off-season weight. He has to keep himself lower when he's fighting featherweight but I believe he can make it again, if he wants to."
