Dominick Cruz: Conor McGregor returned to UFC to save his life

Dominick Cruz believes Conor McGregor's catastrophic UFC 329 return was about more than proving he still belongs in the octagon.

The former two-time bantamweight champion, whose own career was repeatedly sidelined by injuries, told the UFC 329 Paramount+ post-show that McGregor came back to escape a destructive lifestyle, not chase another title. "We keep saying he doesn't need to come back because he has the money, but I disagree," Cruz said, per MMA Mania. "I think the reason why he was coming back was to save his own life from the money and lifestyle he's been living."

What McGregor faces after UFC 329 injury

McGregor lasted just 69 seconds against Max Holloway on Saturday before a knee injury forced the stoppage, ending a five-year layoff before it started. The Irishman dealt with arrests, legal troubles, and a civil sexual assault verdict during his absence. In the lead-up to UFC 329, he spoke publicly about sobriety and faith. Now, according to Cruz, he must confront the same demons without the fighting structure that once anchored him. "God is going to keep putting the same test in front of you until you choose differently," Cruz added. "Fighting wasn't going to pull you out."

Cruz knows the danger firsthand. His bantamweight reign was derailed by multiple severe injuries that kept him out of competition for years at a time. He warned that McGregor now faces the hardest part of any injury comeback. "He also didn't get to let that energy out and the demons out or whatever he was fighting," Cruz said. "Now he's got to go back to scratch and really sit with himself."

The recovery period presents its own threat, Cruz added, especially for someone who built an empire on movement and chaos. "When you're in that place staring yourself in the mirror, getting fatter, watching your legs get skinnier, it is a very dangerous place to be," he said. UFC has not announced a timeline for McGregor's return or the severity of the knee injury sustained at UFC 329.

Photo: James K. McCann / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Original reporting:

• mmamania.com — Dominick Cruz believes McGregor came back to ‘save his own life’ | UFC 329 | MMA Mania