Jouban Says McGregor Won't Be Same After Knee Injury

Conor McGregor will never fight the same way again after his knee injury at UFC 329, according to MMA analyst Alan Jouban.

Jouban, who has undergone five knee surgeries himself, told MMA Junkie that McGregor's body, mind, and fight IQ have all declined at 37 years old. McGregor tore his ACL early in his rematch against Max Holloway, forcing a stoppage before he could take significant damage in what many expected to be a lopsided fight.

Why Jouban Questions McGregor's Future

"I don't know if we see him come back," Jouban said, per BJ Penn. "I know for a fact Conor's never going to look the same. I know for a fact, he will not look the same." The analyst pointed to McGregor's decision to attempt a high-risk knee strike as evidence of diminished fight IQ. "For him, a guy that knows his body so well — that's what made Conor McGregor so great. At 37 years old, not to know your body and to go and shoot for a high-risk, low-reward move. ... His body is not the same, his head's not the same, and his fight IQ wasn't the same."

Jouban tore his own ACL at 37 while preparing for his final fight, drawing a parallel to McGregor's situation. Both injuries occurred during airborne movements, a pattern Jouban said reflects declining body awareness in aging fighters.

McGregor has suggested he has only one fight remaining on his UFC contract.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Conor McGregor will not be the same after latest injury, says MMA analyst