UFC commentator reflects on the moment Conor McGregor’s 2024 return collapsed having been within the room

John Gooden was creating content for the UFC when Conor McGregor suffered a freak injury.

McGregor’s coaches have been stuffed with praise for the best way he’s looking ahead of his return on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

While he hasn’t competed in five years, ‘The Notorious’ did undergo what was nearly a full training camp in 2024.

Footage from the moment McGregor’s bout with Michael Chandler was suddenly put in jeopardy was recently released, but Gooden was there when it happened.

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John Gooden looks back in the meanwhile Conor McGregor’s previous return was derailed by an injury

Conor McGregor pushed to fight Michael Chandler this 12 months after being weeks away from meeting him contained in the Octagon two years ago.

‘The Notorious’ withdrew from UFC 303 after breaking his toe during a training session in Ireland, which John Gooden was present for.

Gooden was capturing footage for the Countdown preview when swiftly, the training session needed to be stopped before his team later came upon that was the last shoot they’d be doing.

“He looked great. I mean he was sparring very well,” Gooden told Bloody Elbow. “He was up against a wrestler guy and yeah, it was just one among those things. I see it within the gym on a regular basis… We didn’t know that it was immediately done at that time.”

McGregor has since admitted that he learned a tricky lesson from this experience by not wearing the best equipment that might have prevented this injury.

What stands out most to Gooden, who recalls ‘The Mac’ being “clearly upset”, was the natural frustrated response from the Irish star that the UFC commentator is used to seeing when injuries occur.

Gooden said that while eye pokes and other mishaps are certain to occur whether there are cameras there or not, it’s never nice to be within the room once they do.

The quantity of pressure and interest that comes with a McGregor fight only amplifies that.

“Within the room, on the time, there’s a variety of cameras around and it’s different from after I used to ascertain in with Conor back within the day,” Gooden added. “He’s just got more people around him. He’s sort of protected. There’s more individuals with a vested interest since it’s such an enormous business.

“So, yes, there was a variety of, ‘What has happened?’ and his frustration as well, which has nothing to do with any of that. It’s just the human, athlete, that has injured themselves and may’t exit and play anymore.”