The image went everywhere: Conor McGregor, beaten and hurting, with his head on Bruce Buffer’s shoulder. Buffer says there was nothing staged about it.
The UFC’s legendary announcer addressed the viral moment in an interview with Ariel Helwani, days after McGregor’s comeback collapsed 69 seconds into his UFC 329 rematch with Max Holloway. Buffer said he simply walked over to check on a man he’s known for more than a decade.
So I have a lot of history with Conor and I hated to see that happen. And when I got face to face with him, I put my hand on his shoulder to just say, ‘Are you okay?’ And he came in and hugged me and put his head on my shoulder and we had that moment together, which was caught in an amazing picture that I noticed has been gone pretty viral. That was a moment between us and it was what it was.
The history runs deep, and Buffer remembers exactly where it started.
The first time I met him was when he was like 19 years old at the first UFC we did in Dublin, when he walked up to me and I had no idea who he was. And he goes, ‘My name is Conor McGregor. I’m gonna be champion someday. Remember it.'
Helwani described the scene as almost paternal, with McGregor searching for someone he trusted amid the chaos. Buffer didn’t argue.
Yes, it is. And I’m honored by it. And I just hope that Conor heals 100%. He heals safe. If he comes back to fight, well, more power to him to fulfill his contract. If he doesn’t come back and fight, more power to him too. Just lead a healthy, wonderful life and be as good as you can be to everybody around him and do good for the world.
McGregor has since revealed the injury as an ACL and meniscus tear and set his sights on returning by next summer. Buffer, who has announced many of the nights that made McGregor a global star, isn’t putting any conditions on it.
But it’s Conor’s world. Whatever Conor wants, he’s gonna get, but this is a long time coming back from this injury as you know.
