Morning Report: Conor McGregor says he’s ‘Terminator’ and ‘as fresh as it gets in this business’ after leg break

Conor McGregor has no intention to hang up his gloves.

Today is the last day of UFC 300 fight week before fight night itself. UFC CEO Dana White and Michael Chandler, who has flown into Las Vegas for the historic festivities, have teased some McGregor-related news throughout the build-up. However, the world still awaits any official announcements regarding the Irishman’s anticipated return for a long-discussed Chandler clash.

If you were to tell some casual friends that McGregor is retired, it would be an easily believable lie to tell in 2024. “The Notorious” has gone Hollywood in his time away from MMA with the release of his first feature film role as part of Road House alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. McGregor, 35, needed assistance out of the octagon in his last appearance at UFC 264 in July 2021. In his first-round TKO loss to Dustin Poirier, McGregor suffered a badly broken leg that led him to undergo surgery and rehabilitation in the immediate aftermath.

“I knew it was going to happen,” McGregor said of his broken leg on SiriusXM’s This Life of Mine with James Corden. “I had stress fractures in the leg. It was one of the early kicks. I could feel it. I could feel the two bones just go like that, so when the leg broke early in the fight, when that happened, that twist, the balance, the stability was gone. I was able to steady on one leg and not bear full weight on this and it was only in the last second of the round and I was forced to go back on the thing and then it just snapped, but I had no family there for that either and I was very happy with that.

“Usually, I would have my family there and I was very happy with that because I wouldn’t have wished they’d been in the mindset with my children or my lady there and my mother or father there or sisters and that happened to me, so I was in the right frame of mind and that’s why I handled it as well as I could and there you go.”

McGregor’s break, unfortunately, wasn’t the first time something like that has been seen in the UFC. The way it happened was different than the previous instances with Corey Hill, Anderson Silva, and Chris Weidman, as they all suffered their breaks off of checked leg kicks.

Ultimately, all of the fighters before McGregor came to back to fight again. Their success levels weren’t the greatest, though. Between all three, their combined record post-injury tallies out to 6-13, 1 NC (Hill 4-7, Silva 1-5, 1 NC, Weidman 1-1). Admittedly, Hill (6-9) was in his fourth career bout (34-11, 1 NC) compared to Silva in his 38th and Weidman in his 21st (16-7).

The former featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor is optimistic about his fighting future despite the odds only further stacking against him.

“God bless medical science. God bless my pockets, my net worth and, you know, being able to afford care at the highest, highest level. I had the best care,” McGregor said. “I am ‘Terminator’ now. I have a titanium rod that goes into the knee and down to the bone, right down to my ankle. It’s unbreakable, so I have free reign to kick now, so I’m ready to go and I’m excited. I wish for and I will work for landing this kick with this steel bar in my leg against an opponent and getting them out of there. I want to see a picture of myself in the octagon with my leg broke, and then I wanna see a picture of myself in the octagon with my leg wrapped around my opponent’s neck or head and putting him out and side by side.”

Financially, McGregor’s need to fight disappeared years ago. He’s a made man as the sport’s biggest all-time superstar and now actor. It’s understandable to see how going out the way he did would be a tough pill to swallow, especially after the animosity built through his Poirier trilogy and rough two last results.

Assuming the Chandler fight happens as expected, it will only be the start of an epic McGregor MMA run, should he have it his way, of course.

“No. No. I’m barely touched. I’m barely touched,” McGregor responded when asked if he’s considered retirement from MMA. “I only got clicked once and then the leg break. That’s it. I’ve put more people to sleep than anesthesia, than surgical procedure, so you know, as far as freshness, I’m as fresh as it gets in this business, so there’s not been an iota of that for my family. Not yet. Not that maybe if I can get a nice roll going, which I’m hoping for and I get a nice four fights in a year, and then eight fights again next year, maybe then there’s more trauma, there’s more of wins and losses, or who knows? Maybe then a conversation, but right now to this day, not an iota. My faculties are there. I’m fresh. I’m sharp and let me get to go again.”

Motivation. UFC 300: Dana White to hand out $300k performance bonuses, fighters go wild at presser

Intense. Justin Gaethje rules out June title fight after UFC 300: ‘I don’t usually plan on being alive the day after my fights’

Moment. Holly Holm responds to Ronda Rousey’s excuses: ‘She wasn’t better than me, and especially that night’

Miss. Manager: Israel Adesanya ‘very upset’ to not be fighting at UFC 300

Deep. Coach: Sean Strickland ‘fights for that little kid inside of him that he couldn’t protect’

Upgrade. Kayla Harrison head coach has no concerns about UFC 300 bantamweight cut: ‘She’ll be better than ever’

R.I.P. Gary Shaw, Elite XC promoter who helped bring MMA to CBS, dies at 79

Banter. Alex Pereira has cheeky response to Jamahal Hill getting advice from Israel Adesanya for UFC 300

Breakdown. UFC 300 Paths to Victory: How each fighter in card’s 3 title fights can leave as champion

UFC 300 Pre-Fight Presser and Staredowns.

The MMA Hour.

UFC 300 Preview Show.

UFC 300 Fighter predict Pereira vs. Hill and Gaethje vs. Holloway.

Embedded 4.

PFL Fight Week.

Building 300.

Poatan’s arrival.

Behind the curtain with Gaethje.

Full Maxcess.

Sterling meets a GOAT.

Bo’s fight week.

The women of 300.

Breaking down Holloway.

Aspinall’s big night.

Art of the calf kick.

Go to Twitter, use the #MorningReport hashtag, or find one of my tweets with it, and drop me a jam you’re currently really into. I’ll pick the best one alongside my daily choice and give you a shoutout! You can also share in the comments below — those are just harder to sift through sometimes!

Still waiting.

On the way.

Clarity… and some fun.

Challenger.

Brazil.

Art.

Onward.

Friendly reminder.

There we are.

Glove giveaway.

Trouble on the way.

Belts.

Damn.

Foresight?

Raul Rosas Jr. (8-1) vs. Ricky Turcios (13-3); UFC Vegas 93, June 8

Punahele Soriano (9-4) vs. Miguel Baeza (10-3); UFC Vegas 93, June 8

Rei Tsuruya (9-0) vs. Carlos Hernandez (9-3); UFC 303, June 29

I think it’s fair to say we’ll see Conor back in combat sports again. His activity comments are completely laughable, though.

Happy Friday, gang. We did it. We’ve just about made it to the granddaddy. Buckle up and enjoy the ride. I’ll see you on the other side. Thanks for reading!

If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter and let him know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Facebook.