Conor McGregor claims it wasn't Dustin Poirier who gruesomely broke his leg during their trilogy fight ... 'cause the limb was "severely damaged" heading into the scrap.
The 33-year-old former UFC double champ made the declaration in a series of tweets on Wednesday ... saying he knew the leg may give out, but he decided to continue with the fight despite the serious injury.
"In my last camp I’d a severely damaged left leg. Many of my sessions consisted of starting in open guard bottom. And staying there. Full rounds remaining on bottom. I was beating people up until they backed away from me. It then translated to the fight. True story," McGregor fired on Twitter.
In fact, Conor says he didn't have a big reaction to the painful break -- unlike Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva -- because he was well aware the leg may snap during the UFC 264 fight on July 10.
"Same leg, same spot. I attribute it to why I wasn’t in as much shock as Chris/Anderson where. I knew something may happen in advance. Chris was upset with my quote. Felt I was aiming at him. I was not. If any constellation to my reaction, It was because id a heads up it may snap."
McGregor is very much down the road to recovery ... and it's evident he's beginning to plot his return to the Octagon.
But, who will he fight?? Poirier for a 4th time? Max Holloway rematch (McGregor beat him in 2013)? Nate Diaz trilogy?
Whoever it is ... The Notorious says he'll be back and better than ever!
"I’m very pleased with my ground attacks from bottom, at present. I butchered dude from the bottom, use your eyes. He backed away from me! I’ve now developed a more ferocious version to Nates ground game. If Nate goes down, no one follows. They won’t follow me now either. Watch!"