Dana White responds to claims Conor McGregor went into UFC fight with pre-existing injury

Dana White has given his thoughts on whether Conor McGregor returned to the UFC while injured.

Five years on from snapping his leg in a horrific injury against Dustin Poirier, 37-year-old Conor McGregor returned to the UFC on Saturday, 11 July.

However, his long-awaited comeback was short-lived, as McGregor was forced to retire from the fight after just 69 seconds.

The Irishman was taking on long-time rival Max Holloway, who he defeated in 2013, and came out firing as he attempted a leaping kick straight out the gate.

The fire was quickly extinguished, though, as Holloway comfortably evaded the kick and McGregor's standing leg appeared to buckle as he landed from his jump.

An American sports injury expert believes he suffered a serious knee injury then and there, but McGregor fought on for over a minute.

But when he attempted another jumping kick and fell to the ground, referee Mike Beltran waved off the fight, handing Holloway a TKO victory.

There has been rising speculation that McGregor went into the bout with an already injured knee but UFC boss Dana White has dismissed the claims.

Dana White doesn't think Conor McGregor was injured ahead of UFC return

He insists he 'had no injury/injuries going into the fight'. (Ian Maule/Getty Images)

Some eagle-eyed viewers claimed that McGregor did not look 100 per cent fit before the fight even began.

As the Dubliner made his way to the octagon, replays appeared to show that his knee was looking insecure.

Yet, White believes if McGregor had been injured then someone would have spotted it even earlier during the highly publicised press conference in which McGregor ran up to Holloway and the pair pushed foreheads.

"We're talking about the guy over here earlier asking about there being a pre-injury. Just on my accounts, the face-off that day is at 80 million views," White said, via MMA Junkie.

"So if there was a pre-existing injury, somebody would have noticed it, he was limping, putting his shoes on.

"He ran right him.

"I don't think there was, anything is possible, but he sure didn't look like it.

"And for 80 million just on my accounts that number has got to be massive and nobody noticed anything. So, there you go."

Meanwhile, McGregor also denied he had any injury issues going into the fight as he reacted to his defeat for the first time after leaving the Octagon without being interviewed by Joe Rogan.

Taking to social media, McGregor wrote: "My head gasket is gone. Destroyed.

"I had no injury / injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight.

"This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell."

In a further post, McGregor rubbished the claims of him carrying an injury ahead of the contest as 'nonsense.'

"I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened," he wrote.

"The talk of me being off while walking in to the fight is nonsense. I was calm, ready, and confident. I am in shock what has taken place.

"The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow.

"I will overcome this. I will not be deterred. I will return."

McGregor's return to the UFC has gained widespread criticism after he was found liable in a civil rape case in November 2024.

Nikita Hand accused McGregor of raping her in a Dublin hotel in 2018. In Ireland, unlike the UK, complainants are not automatically granted anonymity in civil rape cases.

A court heard she was badly bruised and a doctor had to remove a tampon she had been wearing using forceps. McGregor has denied any wrongdoing.