“Conor McGregor beat Chad Mendes on one leg” were the words when The Notorious decided to take on Chad Mendes with an ACL injury back in 2015. Switch to 2024, and McGregor has pulled out of his return fight against Michael Chandler due to an injury.
Before UFC 303, McGregor had never pulled out of a fight, so when the Notorious decided to withdraw from one of the most anticipated bouts in the history of the UFC, fans were of the opinion it must have been a serious one. And now, the former two-division champion has opened up and it turns out he suffered a pinky toe fracture during training, and the fans aren’t having it.
UFC fans starch Conor McGregor for pulling out of the fight due to broken pinky toe
Conor McGregor might not have expected such a response from fans but as we had it, the MMA community wasn’t too pleased with the former two-division Champion pulling out of the fight looking at the extent of the injury.
“This ain’t the McGregor I used to know,” one fan responded to McGregor’s tweet. Some fans even pointed out that McGregor’s career might be over if this is the injury that forced him to step out from UFC 303.
While others felt that McGregor should have kept the details of the injury a secret, other reminded the former Champion how Alex Pereira fought with a broken toe at UFC 300 against Jamahal Hill in his first LHW title defense.
Safe to say, amid all the criticism that already surrounds McGregor, pulling out of this fight for the reason that has now come to the public eye is only going to invite more scrutiny in the years to come.
Conor McGregor takes a dig at Michael Chandler
McGregor wrote about his injury in detail in a recent Instagram post, and in the process, took a subtle jibe at Michael Chandler.
“Man we were so fucking super ready for this fight it is absolutely gut wrenching to take. I want that new Bugatti how I gone justify to myself getting that now without banking these fights. We had a lapse in concentration and engaged in a training session without wearing the full protective gear and I hit the toe off the elbow and broke the toe clean. It needs a few weeks that’s it. I couldn’t justify to my team, or fans, that I make the walk hindered again.”
“That walk has been seen. This next walk has got to be, and it will be, 100% Conor McGregor. The fans deserve it and we are getting close. A slight lapse in concentration and a nuisance of an injury was picked up. That’s it. Take the lesson and move forward. I will get this back. I’ve got too.”
“I’ve got two fights left on my contract. I’ve got Bugattis and more yachts on my mind. I’m coming to shine. I gotta just take my time. Cos I still got yachts and Bentleys and mansions and all the rest. Ya know yaself. But ya get me, I’ll be back. See ya’s soon. See ya at the top. Chandler or not.”
It’s hard to ignore McGregor using Chandler’s catchphrase, “see you at the top” with the words “Chandler or not” following it. With two more fights left on his contract, it will be interesting to see McGregor’s UFC career going forward.