Conor McGregor says he knew leg could snap in Dustin Poirier fight, vows to return and settle score

Conor McGregor had an inkling, he said, that his leg may break in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) broke his leg at the end of Round 1, but the former UFC dual-champ had previously revealed that he entered the fight with stress fractures in his leg. The cageside doctor waved the fight off as soon as it was noticed McGregor’s left leg was broken, giving Poirier the TKO win.

That’s why McGregor says he was in pain, but didn’t agonize as much as Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva did when they broke their legs because he already saw it coming. He thinks the shock factor contributed to the former UFC middleweight champions’ exhibition of pain after their legs broke.

“Same leg, same spot. I attribute it to why I wasn’t in as much shock as Chris/Anderson where. I knew something may happen in advance. Chris was upset with my quote. Felt I was aiming at him. I was not. If any consolation to my reaction, It was because id a heads up it may snap.”

Same leg, same spot. I attribute it to why I wasn’t in as much shock as Chris/Anderson where. I knew something may happen in advance. Chris was upset with my quote. Felt I was aiming at him. I was not. If any constellation to my reaction, It was because id a heads up it may snap. https://t.co/d04yqkfBhB

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 17, 2021

McGregor spent a good portion of the first round on his back, but was pretty active from bottom, which he says is something he practiced going into the fight due to his compromised leg.

“In my last camp I’d a severely damaged left leg. Many of my sessions consisted of starting in open guard bottom. And staying there. Full rounds remaining on bottom. I was beating people up until they backed away from me. It then translated to the fight. True story. @netflix.”

In my last camp I’d a severely damaged left leg. Many of my sessions consisted of starting in open guard bottom. And staying there. Full rounds remaining on bottom. I was beating people up until they backed away from me. It then translated to the fight.
True story. @netflix. https://t.co/SckN84Qp7j

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 17, 2021

Currently on the road to recovery, McGregor vows to be back. Although he’s down 2-1 to upcoming lightweight title challenger Poirier (28-6 MMA, 20-5 UFC), he still thinks they have unfinished business.

“Really nasty elbows and upkicks for sure. That or maybe a really annoying blue bottle was around him after the fight, lol. Make no mistake they are not looking forward to what is coming. I will be back and it will be settled. Once and for all.”

Really nasty elbows and upkicks for sure. That or maybe a really annoying blue bottle was around him after the fight, lol.
Make no mistake they are not looking forward to what is coming.
I will be back and it will be settled.
Once and for all. https://t.co/hJMJ31OTqf

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 17, 2021

“His head was sorer, my leg was sorer. I feel good on that. Not to say his leg wasn’t busted either tho. I had that thigh well minced. I feel it’s just simply not settled yet. Is the fairest response I can give.”

His head was sorer, my leg was sorer. I feel good on that. Not to say his leg wasn’t busted either tho. I had that thigh well minced. I feel it’s just simply not settled yet. Is the fairest response I can give. https://t.co/LqzTkFOjn5

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 17, 2021

When critiqued on his ground game, McGregor said he was happy with the damage he was able to inflict from bottom position.

“I’m very pleased with my ground attacks from bottom, at present. I butchered dude from the bottom, use your eyes. He backed away from me! I’ve now developed a more ferocious version to Nates ground game. If Nate goes down, no one follows. They won’t follow me now either. Watch!”

His head was sorer, my leg was sorer. I feel good on that. Not to say his leg wasn’t busted either tho. I had that thigh well minced. I feel it’s just simply not settled yet. Is the fairest response I can give. https://t.co/LqzTkFOjn5

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 17, 2021

McGregor didn’t reveal a timetable for his return, but gave a positive sign last month when shutting down various tweets suggesting that he was done.