During the initial build up to the McGregor-Aldo UFC 189 fight It was easy to see that Conor was uneasy about a health issue but he wouldn’t divulge his injury. When then champion, Jose Aldo, pulled out of the fight with a rib injury McGregor publicly berated Aldo for being weak and said he had fought through a major injury without contemplating giving up the fight.
Recently Conor McGregor had a fan Q&A in Dublin, Ireland and he opened up about the injury he was fighting heading into UFC 189.
“Fourteen weeks before the fight I tore 80 percent of my ACL,” said McGregor. “I could barely walk, I could barely kick.”
“I had a lot of experience coming back from that injury. I was aware of my body, I was aware of my balance. I had a good team around me. I trusted everyone that was there. That’s how I perform.
“So, once again, I had a lot of adversity to overcome,” McGregor continued. “But honestly, I went into that fight and I beat Chad on one leg. After going through that adversity I feel like I have gained three new legs.”
If true, it’s amazing that McGregor didn’t opt for surgery before or after the UFC 189 fight. Jose Aldo will surely target Conor with leg kicks, which doesn’t bode well for someone that still walks around with a weak knee.
This information may change the dynamic of the title unification bout at UFC 194.