Kamaru Usman has come to Conor McGregor’s defense after the Irish star faced heavy criticism following his injury TKO loss to Max Holloway at UFC 329.
McGregor’s long-awaited return at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this past Saturday lasted just 69 seconds before he injured his right knee, with the damage coming from the first kick he threw in the fight. There is speculation McGregor entered the bout compromised, which he denies, and he has stated he will require surgery and still intends to complete the final bout on his UFC contract.
Usman, a former UFC welterweight champion, said he noticed the reaction online. “I saw a lot of the backlash online and kind of how people were going at him,” he said.
Reflecting on watching the fight, Usman added, "It's a tough thing to do, and I remember watching it at home and going, 'This could either go really well or really, really bad.' There was no in-between, and I could just kind of feel his spirit, Conor's spirit, as he was warming up backstage, and then he comes out and that happens and it was about the worst that could have happened. So I definitely felt for him because it's a dark place to be. No one, unless you're a fighter of that caliber, of that magnitude, that has been in a situation like that, it's very, very difficult to truly understand what he's going through and what he's about to go through in these dark days."
Usman also emphasized what he believes motivates McGregor at this stage. "I don't think that was what he wanted. I think he wanted to come out and actually try to put on a show because at the end of the day, what does a guy like Conor have anymore? It's the glory of being able to be a combatant, being able to go out there and be a warrior once again and be recognized as that. And unfortunately, he didn't get that. So that's why it's going to be dark until eventually he's able to build his mind and his body back up to potentially step back in there. So I feel for him big time, and yeah, I didn't really get all the hate that was going into it. But both guys putting in time, and yeah, they got compensated for it."
The bout marked McGregor’s first fight since breaking his left leg in July 2021.
