The bizarre sexual health stunt loved by UFC star Conor McGregor… but is it safe?
While this alone is cause for scandal, it's the content of one of the alleged nude photos that really has everybody talking.
In one outrageous image, the 37-year-old appeared to pose with a small dumbbell strapped to his erect penis.
While McGregor himself has yet to confirm or deny if he's the weight-lifting culprit, the photos have raised questions online about the risks and potential benefits of weighted penile exercises.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, urologist Justin Houman, MD and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, said that men sometimes use weights downstairs in an attempt to lengthen their appendage.
Unfortunately, Dr. Houman says that there's 'not a lot of evidence' to support that it actually works.
While tying weights to your manhood could stretch the tissue and add some length to a flaccid penis, it won't make a difference when erect.
There's also a number of health risks that can come from dragging your penis into the weight room.
An alleged image of UFC star Conor McGregor with a small dumbbell strapped to his erect penis set the internet ablaze this week
'If you use too much weight, it could cause some distress, not just to the tissue itself, but to a lot of the important structures, the nerves being the big one,' Dr. Houman explained.
'If you stretch those nerves out too much too fast, you could lose sensation to the penis, which is obviously what no one really wants.'
He added, 'But big picture, there's not a lot of benefit to it and chances are it doesn't really cause any harm as long as you're using reasonable weights.'
Dr. Houman also says that there are alternate ways for men to stretch their penis without turning to dumbbells.
'One thing they can do is penile traction therapy and they could do it in two forms,' he shared.
'They could use a device called the RestoreX which helps stretch the penis out. It's like a scaffold that goes around the penis and it provides some stretch to the penis in a safe way,' he continued.
The other option, according to Dr. Houman, is to use a 'vacuum' which can 'pump' the penis.
McGregor found himself embroiled in scandal this week when 212 rapper Azealia Banks shared alleged nude photos of the disgraced UFC fighter, which she claimed he sent to her unprompted.
Dr. Justin Houman (pictured) told DailyMail.com that men sometimes use weights downstairs in an attempt to lengthen their penis
While McGregor himself has yet to confirm if he's the weight-lifting culprit, the photos have raised questions online about the risks and potential benefits of weighted penile exercises
Banks, who is known for getting into high-profile feuds on social media, posted two shocking photos seemingly of McGregor posing in the mirror while completely naked, which she alleges he sent to her via direct message on X (formerly Twitter) despite not following him.
'How you gonna send a b**** a some crooked d*** pics then threaten her not to tell,' she wrote alongside the screenshots. '@TheNotoriousMMA n**** do you know who the f*** I am? This is HARAM.'
Banks then continued: 'Like how are you really going to sexually harass me with the potato farmer d*** then threaten me not to tell???? Honey… ain't u trying to be the president of Ireland what is it giving fam? Use some f***ing sunscreen damn.'
As well as the alleged nude selfies, the screenshots also show a message from what appears to be McGregor's account reading: 'Don't be a rat cos all rats get caught.'
Alongside one image which seemingly shows his manhood strapped to a dumbbell, the Irish fighter apparently wrote: 'Lifting weights.'
Back in 2021, McGregor's personal trainer Alejandro Celdran revealed some of the UFC star's fitness tips.
Celdran claimed that McGregor's physique is down to plenty of hypertrophy training, free weights and six carefully-considered meals a day that are tailored to his body.
The strict regimen allowed McGregor to significantly gain a large amount of muscle in just six months.
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