Conor McGregor seen with post-surgery cast, hails MMA greats Georges St-Pierre and Dominick Cruz for UFC comebacks
UFC icon Conor McGregor, with a cast on his leg, has opened up about his imminent return to the Octagon.
Conor McGregor has reassured fight fans that he's well on the road to recovery after he underwent knee surgery.
The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion was spotted with what appeared to be a cast on his right leg, relaxing by the beach, as he continues his rehabilitation for an imminent return to the Octagon.
Speculation has also abounded that the supportive medical device on the surgically repaired leg could be, rather than a cast, a knee brace.
McGregor, for his part, notably hailed fellow MMA legends Georges St-Pierre and Dominick Cruz for having made triumphant comebacks after similar knee injuries.
Conor McGregor slams doubters after knee surgery following his UFC 329 mishap
Conor McGregor has put forth an X post, comprising a written statement as well as a video of him addressing his injury, surgery, and highly anticipated comeback for the final fight of his current UFC contract.
Taking aim at his detractors who've questioned whether he could return to fighting after his injury setbacks in recent years, McGregor wrote:
"Surgery done. Knee repaired. The doubters can keep talking. I didn't run from the pain. I walked straight into it. Now the real work begins. Comeback season starts now. No shortcuts. No excuses. Just the will to rise again."
It's noteworthy that the veteran combat sports athlete has sustained and successfully healed from multiple injuries over the years. That includes mid-fight injuries as well.
As he's previously noted, he dealt with mid-fight injuries to his left knee (ACL and meniscus) in his featherweight unanimous decision win over Max Holloway in 2013, as well as to his right knee (ACL and meniscus) in his welterweight TKO defeat against Holloway last month (July 2026).
"Mystic Mac's" most recent professional MMA contest was the aforementioned rematch against Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11. It marked his return after a five-year break preceded by a devastating mid-fight left-leg injury he suffered against Dustin "The Diamond" Poirier at UFC 264 back in July 2021.
At UFC 329, "The Notorious" hurt his right knee after landing awkwardly during the first strike he threw. McGregor subsequently suggested that the injury necessitated the fifth knee surgery he's had to undergo in his career.
Conor McGregor seen with cast on limb; hails MMA and UFC greats Georges St-Pierre and Dominick Cruz
Former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre underwent multiple knee surgeries over the years. It was after "GSP" had undergone a pair of ACL surgeries over the period of a few years that he returned to win the middleweight title in 2017, following a four-year MMA hiatus nonetheless.
Similarly, former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz etched his name in the history books in 2016, as he returned from three ACL surgeries as well as a quadriceps tear to outpoint TJ Dillashaw and reclaim the bantamweight belt.
In his X post, Conor McGregor harked back to the retired St-Pierre and Cruz's comebacks from serious ACL injuries. Additionally, "The Mac" showcased footage of himself with his right leg wrapped in a cast next to crutches.
Speaking into the camera, McGregor stated:
"What's up, folks? 'The Mac' is back, baby. My knee is repaired. Surgery was a success. And now I'm on the road to recovery. That just tells you all you need to know about my mindset. Straight into surgery. Knee repaired. And on the road. Let's go."
He added, "I wanted to give a shoutout to Dominick Cruz, who returned from multiple ACLs to recapture his bantamweight crown. Georges St-Pierre, multiple ACLs; I don't know whether he returned after his second ACL. However, he's doing backflips and movement is still stellar."
The Irishman proceeded to cite examples from the sport of American Football as well, alluding to how NFL stars such as Tom Brady and others returned to elite-level competition after recovering from ACL injuries.
Emphasizing that they motivate him, McGregor said, "These are my motivation here, especially the fighting boys."
The 38-year-old asserted that his mindset is unstoppable and unbreakable. He even seemed to acknowledge the fan discussions concerning the Mohawk hairstyle he sported for UFC 329. While he'd recently implied that he could keep it as such for a while, he's now indicated that he'll do something about the hair but hasn't decided as of yet.
The Dubliner asked viewers to stay tuned and sent his love to all. In addition, he spoke about his entrepreneurial endeavors, the beverage brands he founded, namely Mac Energy and Forged Irish Stout -- thereby making an allusion to his commitment to fighting and business despite dealing with the injury.
The BKFC co-owner, who's eager to compete again, urged everyone to have fun. A devout Christian, McGregor also expressed his gratitude to the Almighty, saying, "Thank you, God. Thank you so much, God."
Check out Conor McGregor's assessment as well as the written statement in his X post below:
Surgery done.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 7, 2026
Knee repaired.
The doubters can keep talking.
I didn’t run from the pain.
I walked straight into it.
Now the real work begins.
Comeback season starts now.
No shortcuts. No excuses.
Just the will to rise again. pic.twitter.com/Oq77VDX3IJ
