'They knew': Conor McGregor's shocking claims about UFC injury
Conor McGregor has made the bombshell accusation that the UFC knew he had stress fractures in his leg before UFC 264.
McGregor sustained a fractured left tibia in the final seconds of the opening round of Saturday's lightweight main event against Dustin Poirier in Las Vegas.
BRUTAL: Rival's wife caught in shock act after McGregor injury
WINNING: Floyd Mayweather makes huge profit from McGregor loss
Poirier, who is now 28-6, was awarded the victory over the Irish superstar via TKO due to the doctor's stoppage.
However McGregor has since levelled startling claims against the UFC that they were aware his leg was fractured before the fight.
"I was injured going into the fight," McGregor said on Instagram on Thursday.
"People are asking me, 'When was the leg broke? At what point did the leg break?'
"Ask Dana White. Ask the UFC. Ask Dr. (Jeff) Davidson, the head doctor of the UFC. They knew I had stress fractures in my leg going into that cage.
"It was debated about pulling the thing out because I was sparring without shin pads and I would kick the knee a few times.
"So I had multiple stress fractures in the shin bone above the ankle and then I have trouble with the ankle anyway throughout the years of (expletive) fighting all the time. And I also was rapping my ankle every training session."
The UFC and Nevada State Athletic Commission have yet to publicly comment on McGregor's claims.
Dana White expects Conor McGregor to be out for 12 months
The 33-year-old underwent three hours of surgery before taking to social media to provide an initial health update on Sunday.
He then added another update on Thursday.
"I'm essentially getting exactly what I needed to get there," McGregor said Thursday.
"I needed to get treatment on my leg. I needed to get treatment on my ankle. I needed to get treatment on my shin bone.
"And I would have never committed to going under the knife unless something like this happened.
"So, something like this happened, (I am) getting exactly what I needed, and what I needed was a titanium shin bone.
"Now, I have a titanium rod from my knee to the ankle, and the doctor says it's unbreakable."
McGregor revealed on Sunday that he will be on crutches for six weeks before beginning his rehab.
However White has since said he expects McGregor to be out for at least a year.
McGregor suffered another brutal setback when the UFC updated its lightweight rankings on Tuesday.
Heading into the bout against Poirier, the Irishman was the fifth contender in the lightweight division.
But his latest loss has seen him leapfrogged by Tony Ferguson and Rafael Dos Anjos.
McGregor is now the seventh-ranked contender for Charles Oliveira's title behind Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Beneil Dariush, Michael Chandler, Ferguson and Dos Anjos.
with AAP
Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness:
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.