Israel Adesanya suspects Conor McGregor was injured prior to UFC 329 walkout: “I have eyes”

Israel Adesanya isn’t buying the story that Conor McGregor was injured solely off a failed jumping kick attempt.

McGregor had high hopes going into his highly anticipated return at UFC 329. The Irish megastar was set to do battle with Max Holloway, and while the fight began, it quickly ended in anticlimactic fashion. McGregor began favoring his right knee after landing awkwardly from a jumping kick. He had trouble staying on his feet, and referee Mike Beltran had seen enough.

There has been much debate over whether or not McGregor had a preexisting injury. The “Notorious” one has denied it, while UFC CEO Dana White told reporters he doesn’t believe that is the case either. Still, Adesanya isn’t exactly convinced that something didn’t happen prior to the walkout.

During a new episode of his “Precision” podcast with Demetrious Johnson, Adesanya shared his belief that there is indeed something to the theory that McGregor struggled taking off his shoes during his entrance (via MMAJunkie).

“I have eyes. When they did the replay and he took the Crocs off, he didn’t put weight on that right leg,” Adesanya said. “He didn’t. I know he was throwing it in the locker room. Also, there was a guy that put $900K on Max right before the fight? So things like that … I have eyes. When Conor took off the Crocs, as much as he said afterwards, you know, ‘I wasn’t hurt before the fight,’ I saw he didn’t put weight on the right leg. And that tells me something.”

Adesanya then said McGregor could have hurt himself backstage during warmups. A clip did surface of McGregor drilling the same kick that led to his right knee injury, but “The Last Stylebender” wouldn’t be surprised if he first felt something was wrong in that moment.

Do you think Conor McGregor actually hurt himself before his UFC 329 walkout, or do you believe he was injured on the spot during the fight? Drop your take in the comments below.