Conor McGregor and his manager Audie Attar provided updates Sunday after the lightweight fighter underwent surgery to repair broken leg bones suffered in Saturday's UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier.
They both put on brave faces.
Attar tweeted out details of the operation while expressing confidence that McGregor will "make a full recovery."
'We anticipate his return to the Octagon'
pic.twitter.com/cwHxLc9c4Z
— Audie A. Attar (@AudieAttar) July 12, 2021
"Conor is in recovery after 3 hours of surgery," the statement reads. "The surgery was successful repairing fractures of his tibia and fibula. His physicians included Dr. Neal El Attrache from Kerlan-Jobbe, Conor's longtime orthopedist, and trauma surgeon Dr. Milton Little from Cedars-Sinai.
"Both doctors are confident that with time he will make a full recovery. We anticipate his return to the Octagon."
Confident McGregor blasts Poirier's 'illegitimate' win
McGregor, meanwhile, tweeted that "Surgery went excellent!" and that he is "Feeling tremendous!"
Just out of the surgery room guys! Surgery went excellent! Feeling tremendous! 6 weeks on crutch and we build back! Let’s go! God bless 🙏
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 12, 2021
As if to confirm his tremendous feelings, McGregor then tweeted video from his post-op recovery. Remarkably, he appeared unfazed by any lingering anesthesia or pain killers he might be on. He also had a message about Poirier's "illegitimate win."
Onwards and upwards we go ☘️ pic.twitter.com/qKgochlT3t
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 12, 2021
"Everything went to plan," McGregor said of the operation. "Everything went perfect. I'm feeling tremendous. We've got six weeks on a crutch now, and then we begin to build back. …
"It was a hell of a first round. It would have been nice to get back into that second round. It is what it is. That's the nature of the business. A clean break of the tibia, and it was not to be. Dustin, you can celebrate that illegitimate win all you want, but you'd done nothing in there. That second round would have shown all."
Will Conor make a comeback?
Not many would agree with McGregor's assessment that Poirier had "done nothing in there." Two of the three judges sitting cageside scored the first round 10-8 for Poirier before the fight was called a TKO due to McGregor's injury.
#UFC264 Official Scorecard: Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor
View All Official Scorecards: https://t.co/DVjnvBTkEFpic.twitter.com/VVbUk1KJGJ
— UFC News (@UFCNews) July 11, 2021
And while McGregor appears intent on lobbying for a fourth match with Poirier, the No. 1 lightweight contender doesn't concur with McGregor's claim of an "illegitimate" win nor sound interested in another fight. Meanwhile, more voices around UFC seem to say McGregor is closer to retirement after Saturday's loss than any sort of return to form after what promises to be a grueling injury rehab at 32 years old.
Whatever's next for McGregor, it should come as a surprise to no one that it won't come quietly.
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