McGregor Names Cruz And St-Pierre As ACL Comeback Models

Conor McGregor is drawing inspiration from two MMA legends as he recovers from knee surgery that will sideline him for roughly a year.

McGregor tore both his ACL and meniscus after throwing his first kick against Max Holloway at UFC 329 in July, per MMA Mania. The former two-division champion underwent surgery this week to repair the damage and posted a video update naming Dominick Cruz and Georges St-Pierre as fighters who bounced back from similar injuries.

Cruz And St-Pierre Serve As ACL Recovery Blueprint

"I want to give a shout out to Dominick Cruz, who returned from multiple ACLs to recapture his bantamweight crown," McGregor said in the video. "Georges St-Pierre, multiple ACLs. Don't know if he returned after his second ACL, but he's doing backflips and his movement is still stellar."

McGregor also referenced NFL players Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers as examples of athletes who came back from torn ACLs. He called his mindset "unstoppable, unbreakable" and said he walked straight into surgery rather than delaying the procedure.

The Irishman has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract, and reports suggest he could test free agency once cleared to compete. A bout on the open market would reportedly net him north of $100 million given his drawing power.

McGregor is expected to begin training camp in mid-2027 if his recovery stays on schedule.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Conor McGregor shouts out Dominick Cruz and Georges St-Pierre as comeback motivation following ACL surgery