MMA training: Insane body transformations of Conor McGregor, Jon Jones and more (2023)

In MMA, fighters do more than refine their respective skill sets to become better technicians in the cage. Athleticism is of great importance as well. There can be no understating the value of physical attributes in mixed martial arts. Part of what makes Max Holloway great, for example, is his bottomless gas tank.

Hence, MMA fighters are expected to undergo exhaustive training to get in the best possible shape for upcoming bouts. Sometimes, this leads to jaw-dropping physique transformations. Conversely, a change in the regimen can lead to a severe decline in a fighter's physique.

This was the case with legendary Brazilian MMA fighter Vitor Belfort after TRT was banned after the introduction of USADA. With this in mind, this list looks at some of the most radical physique transformations in MMA in 2003.

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#5. Derrick Lewis, UFC heavyweight

Derrick Lewis is a former title challenger for both the interim and undisputed crowns in the heavyweight division. While the record-setting power-puncher never managed to capture either title, he has remained a staple of the 265 lbs weight class. Unfortunately, 'The Black Beast' recently found himself at a crossroads.

Prior to 2023, he had lost three of his last four fights and was on a two-fight losing streak. So after he was scheduled to face Sergey Spivak in the headline bout of UFC Fight Night 218, 'The Black Beast' trained as hard as he possibly could for his first fight in 2023. The result was a shocking physical transformation.

Lewis wowed fans on social media after pictures of him with a trimmed-down physique emerged. He committed to more cardio work and running during his camp ahead of his matchup with his Moldovan opponent. Unfortunately, his efforts were for naught as he suffered a first-round submission loss.

The two-time heavyweight title challenger now finds himself on the wrong end of a four-fight losing streak. Worse still, he is currently sitting outside the top 10 in the UFC heavyweight division. It has not been an ideal start to 2023 for one of MMA's greatest-ever knockout artists.

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#4. Khamzat Chimaev, UFC middleweight

While he remains undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev's reputation as an MMA fighter has not gone unblemished. Fans and fighters alike were in uproar over the Chechen's inability to make weight for his UFC 279 main event matchup against Nate Diaz. Worse still, he missed the welterweight limit by over seven pounds.

He subsequently faced and defeated Kevin Holland in a catchweight bout in the co-main event of the fight card. Meanwhile, UFC president Dana White made calls for 'Borz' to move to middleweight. Since then, the unbeaten phenom has been fairly inactive as he is yet to fight in 2023.

In early 2023, a picture of 'Borz' made the rounds that showed how much bigger his frame has gotten. He seems to have a more densely muscled physique than he used to.

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#3. Henry Cejudo, UFC bantamweight

Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo is one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. However, the Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling left fans deflated back in 2020 after he announced his retirement from the sport. This was especially shocking given his then-TKO win over Dominick Cruz.

However, 'Triple C' has announced his return to the octagon and is scheduled to face Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 for supremacy over all MMA bantamweights. Prior to his return, Cejudo had gained a fair amount of weight, which caused his physique to soften to a noticeable degree.

Since his return, however, he has drastically improved his physique through rigorous training. Now, Cejudo looks as heavily muscled and shredded as he ever has if his physique updates on Instagram are anything of note. 'Triple C's' back looks particularly enormous ahead of his highly anticipated return to the cage.

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#2. Conor McGregor, UFC lightweight

In the past, Conor McGregor was obsessed with movement and staying light on his feet. This was a constant desire during his legendary featherweight run. Even after the Irishman made MMA history by becoming the first-ever UFC two-division champion, he still stuck to his fundamentals as a mobile fighter.

Years later, however, he suffered a catastrophic injury against Dustin Poirier in the pair's trilogy bout at UFC 264. He snapped his shin during the fight, which sidelined him for a significant amount of time. While there was no initial change in his physique, everything changed towards the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023.

Over the course of late 2022 and into early 2023, 'The Notorious' grew progressively more muscular and even began to jokingly claim that he was a heavyweight. Many accused him of steroid use due to his massive bulk, but the allegations remain unproven.

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#1. Jon Jones, UFC heavyweight

For the longest time, Jon Jones ruled the MMA world as the greatest light heavyweight in the history of the sport. Part of his past success as a 205'er was owed to his build. Back then, he was a tall, lanky fighter with a record-setting reach advantage that allowed him to generate a tremendous amount of leverage.

After facing a suspension due to his infamous hit-and-run incident, 'Bones' spent time bulking up and developed a dense and muscular physique from all of his powerlifting. While he eventually slimmed down after a highly criticized performance against Ovince St-Preux, his physique has since changed.

After a brief hiatus from the sport, Jon Jones returned as a heavyweight to face Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight throne. Upon his return, he was far bulkier than he once was, with a fair amount of fat that led to countless memes. Regardless, Jones defeated Gane in dominant fashion to claim the 265 lbs crown.