Conor McGregor says he is ready for the worst after recovering from the broken leg he suffered against Dustin Poirier, which put his entire career in doubt five years ago.
The former two-weight world champion hasn't fought since that night in July 2021, when his snapped leg ended not only the fight and their trilogy but also raised serious questions about his future.
McGregor is now preparing to step back into the octagon at UFC 329 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas on July 11, facing Max Holloway.
It's a matchup with history, as McGregor had already suffered a torn ACL early in their first meeting back in 2013, an injury that also required surgery and kept him out for an extended period.
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After a long time out of the octagon, McGregor began training again for a comeback around three years ago. He went through several camps and even lined up a bout with Michael Chandler for June 2024, only to pull out due to a broken toe.
He now appears ready to finally step back in. Speaking with former US Navy SEAL Rob O'Neill during an interview about his new drink Mac Energy, McGregor discussed how seriously he's taking his return.
"Now as I have become a lot more experienced in the game I actually work backwards towards the perfect scenario," he explained. "So I have had a limb break inside the octagon, and now I must have an answer to that.
"I have the perfect scenario, you knock them out with the big backhand, the crowd roars. But then I have the worst case scenario, the shoulder dislocates midway through the first round, what's my mechanisms?
"The knee dislocates in the first round, what's my movements, my reactions? Do I switch the stance or go to my back? I have a whole selection of responses to the worst case scenarios. Not that I sit and dwell on them, or overthink them, but I just have them.
"So if the ankle goes, if the knee goes, if the shoulder goes, what's my response? Because the fight's not over… If you have a maneuver, you can outlast and you can survive in there and you can work towards the victory.
"I have found as I have gotten more experience in the fight game to work my way backwards from the worst case scenario, to the best case scenario. And then focus and prepare for the best case scenario. That's where I'm at right now. I have every situation that may occur and my answers to them."
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