Chael Sonnen questions Conor McGregor’s ability to headline UFC events after return from Chris Weidman-like injury: "You can't book him"

MMA legend Chael Sonnen doesn't think Conor McGregor will be able to bring back his headlining days after the injury he suffered over three years ago.

In his last appearance inside the octagon, 'The Notorious' lost his rematch against Dustin Poirier via doctor stoppage in July 2021. It was due to McGregor breaking his leg while throwing a combination.

On top of this, he also injured his toe during his preparations for his comeback fight against Michael Chandler last year.

Sonnen compared McGregor's first injury to Chris Weidman's gruesome injury, also back in 2021. The former UFC middleweight champion broke his leg when his low kick was checked by Uriah Hall. It took two years for the 'All-American' to come back, and when he did, he went on a dismal 1-2 run before announcing his exit from the UFC.

Comparing Conor McGregor's injury to Weidman's, Chael Sonnen told Ariel Helwani:

"Whatever adult allows Conor McGregor to return with the same exact injury that Chris Weidman had. Now, Chris Weidman being possibly the most disciplined guy in the sport, Conor being the most undisciplined guy in the sport. Chris Weidman doing everything right - from rehab to taking his time to focusing on being at home at night and going to bed and getting rest on his leg. He did everything right and did not return as somebody who could follow the basic rule, which was to protect yourself at all times, right?"

Sonnen then said that Weidman's injured leg hindered him from performing well in his comeback run - and the same can be said about McGregor.

'The Notorious' - with his multiple injuries and lengthy time away from the sport - is no longer fit to be in five-round main events, according to the MMA analyst.

He finished his statement with:

"If you're talking about any level of responsibility [to headline], you can't book him [McGregor] and you definitely can't book him in a five-round fight."

Listen to Sonnen's remarks in the clip below:

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Chael Sonnen believes Conor McGregor is "not fighting again" after pullig out of Michael Chandler bout

Digging more into Conor McGregor and his injuries, Chael Sonnen went on a tagent about the Irishman's much-talked-about cancellation of his comeback fight at UFC 303 last June.

With plenty of hype surrounding his return, 'The Notorious' threw a wet blanket on everyone's excitement when he announced that he wouldn't be fighting due to an injured toe.

Sonnen heavily insinuated that the injury was a bit suspect and doubted if the photo of the swollen toe was even McGregor's, saying:

"[McGregor] pulled out of a press conference, where they took an American company to Ireland... It's a big deal to leave them hanging right there... He didn't take a picture of himself with the toe. He took a picture of a toe and posted it online... If you pull out of a fight because of a discolored pinky toe, which may be yours and may or may not be broken, you're not fighting again. That's the truth."

Listen to Sonnen here: