Conor McGregor has admitted he has had problems with his leg since his second fight with Nate Diaz in 2016.
McGregor suffered a broken leg during his second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier last summer, and has yet to step in the octagon since as he continues his rehabilitation. The Irishman has returned to sparring and has also been grappling with his coach John Kavanagh at his Dublin gym but his comeback has been delayed until next year.
A whole host of opponents are expected to line up for a shot at arguably the UFC's biggest superstar when he is able to make a return to action. But McGregor admitted he has had problems with his leg since Diaz caught one of his kicks full on his knee in their rematch, which the Irishman won by decision.
In replying to a video of him checking a kick against Diaz, McGregor tweeted: "Clean. The beginning of my own shin damage began this fight also. Nate clean checked my kick in the very first round. I hit his knee full on. Forever since and to this day I carry it. Right to the full break and even now. It comes with the territory when you are a proper bad***."
McGregor attached a clip of his rematch victory over Diaz which showed him checking a kick of Diaz which appeared to hurt his rival despite him the one having thrown the shot. There were several claims from McGregor's camp in the aftermath of his leg break over Poirier that he had already suffered damage.
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X-rays released by the Irishman appeared to show he had suffered a stress fracture prior to the trilogy bout, with UFC president Dana White also claiming he suffers from chronic arthritis in his ankles. After completely snapping his bone during the fight with Poirier, the 34-year-old was required to have surgery and a metal bar was put into his leg to help fix the damage.
Fans have had their say during McGregor's recovery process which he has released regular footage of online and suggested that his leg still does not "look right" despite his return to kicking. And McGregor sparked further concern this month after posting a worrying update on Instagram, with the caption: "If you can’t hold your leg out straight at high kick level and maintain your balance and control here, you can’t kick to the absolute level that you can kick at.
"I cannot yet kick to the absolute level I can kick it. But I’m aware of where I need to go. I have the awareness that still despite all I am levels above all of those in my radar space of future fighting opponents. By a wide margin. Already, as is. And also that I’ve a steel bar in one of them. And it’s like a whip. And I don’t give a f***."
