Conor McGregor was not always a grizzled UFC star... and now the Irishman will be making another drastic change as his manager promises a featherweight return

Before he became The Notorious, a tattooed MMA star, Conor McGregor was once a cherubic schoolboy and there is photo evidence to prove it.

McGregor is perhaps the most prominent athlete in the UFC, as well as one of Ireland's most recognisable celebrities, but you would be forgiven for seeing this picture of him back in his school days and having no idea who you were looking at.

Before the beard, tattoos and title belts McGregor sported a blonde bowl cut and neat uniform as an innocent schoolboy in a picture revealed by the Tallaght Echo.

Barely recognisable to the UFC star he is today, Conor McGregor looks angelic with his schoolboy bowl cut

McGregor certainly looks different these days, sporting a beard and a number of tattoos as a UFC star

Nate Diaz certainly knows what the Irishman looks likes with the pair's hotly-anticipated rematch coming up at UFC 200.

However after McGregor's bout against Diaz the Irishman will drop back down to the featherweight division, according to his manager Audie Attar.

Asked if could concur with UFC president Dana White's assertion that McGregor would defend his featherweight strap, Attar said on Submission Radio: 'No, that would have already happened.

Conor McGregor's rematch with Nate Diaz has been confirmed as the top billing for UFC 200

'That was something that Conor was adamant about. He's going to keep his belt, he's going to defend.

'At the end of the day, if he was going to vacate, he would have done it already.' 

Frankie Edgar is one potential opponent for The Notorious when he returns to the lighter weight division. Although Edgar doubts McGregor will return to featherweight.

'I don't know. I don't think so,' Edgar told Fox Sports when questioned about McGregor defending his the belt.

'I don't know if a win will make him come back, maybe a loss he'd have to come back. 

'Two losses in a row that's supposedly up two weight classes - it's 155-pounders not wanting to cut weight is what it really is - he'll lose a lot of that value I think.'

Featherweight contender Frankie Edgar is also desperate for a shot at the 145lb belt held by the Irishman