Conor McGregor Will Never Be The Same

Alan Jouban is quite pessimistic about Conor McGregor's ability to return to his peak form following the injury he sustained at UFC 329.

Jouban is intimately familiar with ACL tears and severe injuries in general. He has undergone surgeries on both knees for the same type of injury McGregor suffered just seconds into his rematch against Max Holloway this month. Furthermore, Jouban was the same age as "The Notorious" when he sustained his last similar injury.

This is precisely why Jouban, who transitioned into a UFC analyst after his fighting career, understands the arduous path awaiting the Irishman if he aims to return by the summer of 2027 and fulfill the final fight on his UFC contract.

"I don't know if we'll ever see him again," Jouban told MMA Junkie. "I know he wants to come back. But I know for a fact that Conor will never look the same again. I'm sure he won't be the same."

He said he was going to deliver a once-in-a-generation beating? In my opinion, he saved himself from such a beating. He wouldn't have looked the same. It was visible on his face. The face doesn't always tell the whole story about the body's condition, but this time, the two aligned. We saw it even during his walkout for the fight with Max. His fight IQ was already gone.

I'm a guy who's had five knee surgeries and torn my ACL in both legs. Both times it happened when I was airborne. I last tore the ligament while preparing for my final fight. I threw a switch-stance knee, and the ligament tore. I was 37 years old – the same age as Conor McGregor.

For someone who knows his body so well – which is what made Conor McGregor so great – at 37, to misjudge your capabilities and attempt a high-risk, minimal-reward move... His body isn't the same, his psyche isn't the same, and his fight IQ wasn't the same either."

McGregor has clearly stated his determination to overcome this hurdle and make the comeback he believes the world deserved to see at UFC 329 after his five-year absence from the octagon.

However, Jouban believes the situation is now too dire. In his opinion, even if McGregor manages to prepare for a fight again, his physical attributes will not be at the level he and the public have come to expect.

According to Jouban, there aren't many positives in the situation, and he struggles to name a current opponent against whom McGregor would be considered the favorite.

"He had two more fights on his contract, and now he has one left," Jouban said. "We won't see the same Conor McGregor. Will he return? Maybe. Will we watch? Yes, absolutely. But if you want him to win, you'll have to give him a lower-ranked fighter who still has some name recognition."