"This man just livin' the past now" - Fans give Conor McGregor a reality check as he revisits winning Max Holloway fight with a torn ACL

Conor McGregor recently took to Instagram to relive his unanimous decision win over Max Holloway back in 2013. Despite tearing the ACL in his knee during the fight, the Irishman improvised and managed to pick up an impressive win on the occasion, establishing himself as a legitimate contender in the featherweight division at the time.

McGregor spoke about the significance of the fight in his career, about overcoming sheer adversity and never letting injuries deter him from stepping inside the cage. He wrote:

"9 years ago today, wow! Time sure does fly when you’re whooping ass and looking good! A significant fight for me in my career it was my U.S debut, Boston Massachusetts! I also tore my acl in this bout and was forced to utilize my “improvise, adapt, overcome” philosophy in real time. A true sink or swim moment for me in my young career, but I did not, and would not let the injury deter me. Not in the fight, not during recovery, not through the changes in my fighting style that came from this injury. I used my wit to improvise, my grit to adapt, and as humans we are BUILT TO OVERCOME! It was a cert! I went on to win the fight and all my world titles thereafter."

Check out the Instagram post below:

Reacting to the Irishman's post, most fans seemed to take a dig at the former two-division UFC champion for still basking in the glory of his past achievements. Some even urged McGregor to retire from the sport.

"This man just livin' the past now. Hahaha, time to hang it up," wrote @westonbarnhart.

Several fans also claimed that Holloway would easily beat McGregor in a rematch. Having said that, not all the comments were negative and some urged the 'The Notorious' to make a successful comeback down the line.

Check out some of the reactions to Conor McGregor's recent post below:

Fans react to Conor McGregor's recent post on Instagram

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Can Conor McGregor achieve success inside the octagon again?

In the past, Conor McGregor has achieved monumental success in the UFC, becoming the first-ever two-division champion in the promotion's history. He also holds the record for the quickest finish in a title fight. Having said that, it can't be denied that the Irishman has hit a rough patch lately.

The southpaw has just one win in his last four fights inside the octagon and suffered back-to-back stoppage losses last year. He also ended up breaking his leg in a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier back in July last year and hasn't fought since.

Although McGregor is expected to return to the cage early next year, it will be difficult for him to replicate his past success. Since becoming a double champion back in 2016, McGregor has fought just four times in six years. The lack of activity could be a reason for the dip in his form.

McGregor only fights big names and most top-ranked contenders in the lightweight and welterweight divisions have been active recently and the Irishman may find it difficult to hang with them upon his return.