‘You look like a superhero’: Pop megastar Bieber and MMA heavyweights cheer ex-UFC champion McGregor’s Christmas baby announcement

Pop prince Justin Bieber, two-time UFC champion Jon Jones and Irish-based Russian fighter Artem Lobov have been among those to congratulate Conor McGregor following his announcement that he will become a father for a third time.

Returning UFC mega-seller McGregor posed in matching Christmas outfits with his family on Christmas Day, greeting his fans while his fiancee, Dee Devlin, held up an ultrasound scan that appeared to suggest they are expecting their third child.

The fiery 32-year-old was swiftly deluged with supportive messages from celebrity well-wishers, including a salute from Bieber, who has repeatedly backed "Notorious" and once described himself as "the Conor McGregor of entertainment."

"Bro, you literally look like a superhero," wrote the singer, evidently regarding a t-shirt with a reindeer and matching festive trousers as worthy of worship.

Jones told McGregor "Merry Christmas, champ" and bantamweight Urijah Faber - once an antagonist of McGregor's during their time on The Ultimate Fighter, as well as a mooted foe - responded: "Aye. Another one. Congrats, guys."

McGregor will return for his first fight in more than a year when he meets former victim Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi on January 23.

Lobov, one of his former training partners, looked ahead to that scrap by telling McGregor: "Merry Xmas to the family and here is to a big 2021."

Posing with his family, McGregor told his Instagram following of almost 38 million: "Hope everyone had a good day today.

"Remember that if it was not a good day, it is just a day, and tomorrow is an all-new day again. Good luck and god bless to everyone out there.

"Happy Christmas everyone, from my family to yours. So much to look forward to in 2021."