What is a stress fracture, the injury Conor McGregor carried into the fight at UFC 264?

Conor McGregor recently went toe-to-toe with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 and lost via TKO after he snapped the tibia and fibula in his left leg. The Dublin native subsequently revealed the reason behind the injury in a tell-all video that he posted on social media. Conor McGregor claimed he had suffered a series of stress fractures going into the fight. What exactly is a stress fracture?

Stress fractures refer to minute cracks in the bones that may occur due to repetitive trauma. Most commonly seen in athletes, this is a kind of injury that often heals on its own with a significant amount of rest and a change in training practices.

Stress fractures can often be traced back to overuse and a lack of rest. What's more, they are found in the lower extremities more often than not - the catalyst behind the same being weight-bearing activities and repetitive jolts.

In the case of Conor McGregor, the injury may have occurred while he was practicing leg kicks in the fight camp leading up to UFC 264. He was seen bombarding Poirier with some piercing kicks in the opening moments of their fight.

Conor McGregor was taken out on a stretcher after suffering a leg injury at #UFC264 pic.twitter.com/eQe9fa09YJ

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 11, 2021

Can this revelation stir trouble for Conor McGregor and the UFC?

According to Conor McGregor, UFC officials and head medic Jeff Davidson were privy to the information regarding the Irishman's injury. What's more, according to the former champ-champ, there was talk of pulling him out of the fight to prevent further damage.

Yet Conor McGregor was allowed to butt heads with Dustin Poirier. All combatants are required to fill out pre-fight questionnaires in Nevada as per the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). This is done to ensure the safety of the fighters.

However, if Conor McGregor chose to sweep his injury under the rug and the UFC were complicit, it is natural to assume that the NSAC will have some disciplinary actions to consider.

This entire fiasco is shrouded in mystery as the UFC, and the NSAC have expressed a degree of reluctance in putting out statements addressing the same. However, one can expect explanations from all parties involved to emerge soon enough.