A HOST of sporting stars have ditched their smalls to show off the tools of their trade posing for a magazine shoot in the buff.
The Notorious, UFC Featherweight champion Conor McGregor is just one of the athletes who goes completely naked for the photos, his rock hard abs and muscular arms featured in all their tattooed glory.
The annual ESPN Body Issue sees him and other athletes parading their sporting prowess and more bedsides.
Among those who are also featured in the shoot, are Christen Press, 27, who plays for the USA women's football team.
Gregg Louganis , a former Olympic diver, along with basketball star Dwyane Wade also posed up starkers.
Christen stunned in her shot showing off her lithe limbs and fit physique against a stark background.
She held a dusty football casually against her thigh in the photo.
Christen is not the first female player to pose – Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach, as well as Hope Solo have taken part.
She was also honest about how she has struggled with body image, and revealed she wanted to look more perfect: “But if you think about it, the bodies that I see every day are my teammates, and they are some of the most amazing bodies in the world - so that gives you a skewed perspective.
“I’ve spent a lot of time being insecure about my body, but it’s done so much for me. It’s my tool, my vessel for my job.”
Three time NBA champion and Miami Heat basketball player Dwyane Wade,34, had some serious pecs appeal in his shot posing showing off toned arms and legs.
She said of her body beautiful it was “100 per cent a byproduct” of her chosen sport.
Christen added: “I have butt muscles, thigh muscles, and then my upper body is super skinny - except for in my shoulders, which you need for a little bit of strength to hold other players off the ball.”
He admitted he was fearful of stripping off: "I had a fear of being naked in front of others and a fear of being judged.
"So to me, overcoming that is the biggest thing. Someone may look at me and think, ‘Why would you have insecurity?’ Well, this is real life and I’m human, and these are the things that I deal with that many others might deal with.”
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Former Olympic diver Greg Louganis also showed off his honed muscles, revealing he’s still got it at 56.
Diving from a high board, he looked in the peak of physical fitness.
The sportsman took home numerous medals from the 1984 and 1988 Games.
He has been open about being gay and having HIV and competed in the Olympics in the late 80’s after being diagnosed.
He said: “I try to live by example - being gay, being HIV-positive - you know, life goes on.
“'HIV taught me that I'm a lot stronger than I ever believed I was. Also, not to take anything for granted. I didn't think I would see 30, and here I am at 56.”
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