"I been dealing with it the whole camp" - UFC 264 behind the scenes footage shows Conor McGregor discussing his injury with Dana White
Conor McGregor broke his left leg at UFC 264 last month. The Irishman promptly pinned the cause of the grotesque injury to the stress fractures he sustained leading up to his trilogy with Dustin Poirier.
Following the first round doctor's stoppage, McGregor was seen telling Dana White that his leg had been bothering him the entire fight camp. The former double champion, however, did not expect that neglecting his compromised leg would entail such a devastating outcome.
"I been dealing with it the whole camp. Didn't think nothing was gonna happen though. I had him there," said Conor McGregor following his injury at UFC 264.
Watch the clip of McGregor's interaction with White from 'UFC 264: The Thrill and the Agony' below:
Dana White later told Fox News that Conor McGregor had chronic arthritis in both his ankles. The Irishman was apparently planning on walking out with both his legs taped up.
"He’s had ankle issues for the last couple of years," White told Fox News, "He had asked if he could tape his ankles coming into this fight, and then he opted not to tape them. I don’t know why."
While Dana White claims that the Irish supernova was not in perfect shape coming into UFC 264, the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) has dismissed having any knowledge of McGregor's pre-existing injuries.
Executive director Bob Bennett stated in an interview with the Las Vegas Review Journal that McGregor was injury free in the lead up to UFC 264.
"If we ever knowingly had information a fighter wasn’t fit to fight, we wouldn’t let them compete. It would go to a doctor and a doctor would make that decision as the expert."
When will Conor McGregor return and who will he fight next?
UFC 264 was being touted as the final chapter in the iconic Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier rivalry. However, owing to the inconclusive end to the pay-per-view, it is almost certain that McGregor and Poirier will lock horns once again.
Dana White stated in the aftermath of UFC 264 that McGregor vs. Poirier 4 will likely happen. 'The Diamond' is expected to fight Charles Oliveira for the undisputed lightweight belt before another Conor McGregor matchup.
"The fight didn't get finished, you can't have a fight finished that way. You know, we'll see how this whole thing plays out, who knows how long Conor's out. Poirier will do his thing until Conor is ready," said Dana White.