Doctors Doubtful About Conor McGregor’s ‘Stress Fractures’ Entering UFC 264

Conor McGregorNot long after Conor McGregor came out of surgery did he post a video detailing how injured his leg was heading into his UFC 264 main event fight against Dustin Poirier last Saturday night. “I was injured going into the fight,” McGregor said. “People were asking me, ‘when was the leg broke? At what point […]

Conor McGregor

Not long after Conor McGregor came out of surgery did he post a video detailing how injured his leg was heading into his UFC 264 main event fight against Dustin Poirier last Saturday night.

“I was injured going into the fight,” McGregor said. “People were asking me, ‘when was the leg broke? At what point did the leg break?’ Ask Dana White, ask the UFC, ask Dr. Davidson, the head doctor of the UFC. I had stress fractures in my leg going into that cage”.

“I had multiple stress fractures in the shin bone above the ankle. And then I have trouble with the ankle anyway throughout the years of fighting all the time.”

While we don’t know the extent of the truth and severity of these injuries, 2 doctors have been asked about what they think about the situation, doctors David Abbassi and Rajpal Brar. Dr. Brar,  a physical therapy and sports scientist doctor, was confused as to why McGregor would be using his leg kick so regularly if he knew the extent of the injury going into the bout.

“If you’re Conor and Conor’s camp and coach, and you have a concern about that leg, why would you continue to focus on using that leg for calf kicks or keeps if you think there’s a higher risk of it breaking? Especially with a fighter like Conor who’s relatively new to those kicks, you know that precision is gonna be down which increases risk. 

And further, his leg is not yet adapted to those types of kicks. Taking those factors into account, and this idea that the UFC and their head of sports medicine would essentially commit malpractice by clearing Conor McGregor for this fight, I find it quite hard to believe his comments from today.”

Dr. Abbassi, an orthopedic sports surgeon and MMA ringside physician shared a similar opinion when it comes to this controversial story.

“Fair enough. I think it’s possible that he definitely had something going on in terms of a stress reaction or a stress fracture. I would definitely be interested in seeing what imaging studies his doctors got, including potential MRI studies.” (Transcribed by Bloody Elbow)

For somebody who had leg stress fractures, though, going into that fight, he sure was kicking a lot. Not something we would typically see…Stress reactions or stress fractures can be extremely painful. And they don’t usually have the movement that Conor McGregor had at that time.”

We will eventually receive an answer to this highly controversial situation. If the UFC brass knew about the extent of this injury going into the fight, how bad of a look is that? Potential punishment, fines and suspensions would likely come down. It could be an equally as bad of a look if McGregor is caught in a lie about the injury.

How do you feel about this situation? Do you believe Conor McGregor and UFC went into the fight with knowledge of the stress fractures?