Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman knows just how difficult it is to bounce back from a broken leg, having suffered one himself in the Octagon.

And based on his own experience, Weidman believes that Conor McGregor will still find it very challenging to bounce back from even five years after it happened if he does finally return to action this year.

“That was in 2021. He’s had enough time to recover, but I will say, your first time coming back — because I went through a very similar injury — it is hard to be the person you were beforehand, for sure,” Weidman said.

“I hope the best for him. But I remember in training camp … I was throwing kicks like crazy to try to get used to throwing kicks again. And I was fine in training, but when I got into the actual first fight since that leg injury, I was getting kicked, and as soon as I went to throw my kick back — because that was always the instinct, you get kicked, you kick back — I just couldn’t do it. My body wouldn’t let me do it. It’s just crazy when you go through a traumatic injury like that, how it can affect your head.”

Perhaps McGregor knows that as despite talking about making a comeback many times since healing up, he’s still never actually fought again since then.

“However, there has been some talk that he could as soon as UFC 329 on July 11th during International Fight Week in Las Vegas, and even Dana White sounded positive when asked at the weekend about McGregor’s possible return.

“It’s looking good,” White said when asked about McGregor getting back into the Octagon.

“Believe me, you know once we get a deal done with him, we will announce it.”