Conor McGregor's former rival says Irish star CAN return to his best in UFC 303 comeback fight

Jose Aldo has high hopes for Conor McGregor's return to the Octagon, and has called on the MMA legend to roll back the years with an explosive display.

Former UFC Featherweight Champion Aldo is gearing up for his own comeback in UFC 301, but is also eyeing UFC 303 keenly, where McGregor plots his comeback. With a healed broken leg and a Hollywood debut under his belt, "The Notorious" is set to square off against long-awaited opponent Michael Chandler come June 29th. This fight is crucial for McGregor as it marks his return from lengthy layoff - the longest in his career - and a situation of bouncing back from a two-fight defeat at the hands of Dustin Poirier.

Aged 35, McGregor remains full of confidence and will face the ultimate test when he encounters "Iron" Chandler. Aldo, staring at a similar situation with his upcoming face-off with Jonathan Martinez next month, backs McGregor to triumph over Chandler in what could end up being a classic performance from the Irish superstar. "I have great expectations for that fight," Aldo shared with MMA Junkie through a translator.

"As I always say, I always root for the guys who I fought and the guys who would beat me because that just proves that I lost to the best and I lost to champions. So, I hope that he can go in there and be the Conor of old and be aggressive and go in there to finish the fight and not leave it to the judges. I expect great things from that fight."

Jose Aldo's words of encouragement to his former rival align with Conor McGregor's recent comments on 'The MMA Hour' about Aldo's anticipated return at UFC 301, which is set to be the last fight of his current contract with the UFC. "Look at Aldo now. Great to see Jose back," McGregor said. "Really happy to see Jose back...Excited to see him back. Tremendous goer. Always great for the company."

Despite their current amicable relationship, it wasn't always smooth sailing between the two fighters. McGregor and Aldo's rivalry was one of the most intense in MMA history, culminating in their title unification bout at UFC 194. McGregor, known for his psychological warfare, hurled numerous taunts at "Scarface" before dethroning him with a stunning 13-second knockout, ending Aldo's championship reign at the close of 2015.