Dominick Cruz: Conor McGregor returned at UFC 329 to 'save his own life'

Dominick Cruz can relate to Conor McGregor's injury woes.

Dominick Cruz can relate to Conor McGregor's injury woes. Former UFC bantamweight champion Cruz was plagued with injuries throughout his career. He watched McGregor (22-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC) return from a five-year long layoff only to blow out his knee in the first kick he threw against Max Holloway (28-9 MMA, 24-9 UFC) in Saturday's UFC 329 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Many think McGregor never had the hunger due to the millions of dollars he's made throughout his career, but Cruz disagrees. "We keep saying he doesn't need to come back because he's got the money, but I disagree," Cruz said on the UFC 329 Paramount+ post show (h/t The MMA Meister).

"I think the reason why he was coming back was to save his own life from the money, from the lifestyle he's been living. I think that he's going to be facing that again. "God is going to keep putting the same test in front of you until you choose different.

Fighting wasn't going to pull you out. Fighting can't solve everything, and he's going to learn that because he's got to face himself without this thing that really cures a lot of us. I mean, martial arts saved my life.

I truly believe he came back to save his own life, and now he's back to where he started before he booked this fight." Although it appeared that McGregor was slightly wincing upon entering the octagon, "The Notorious" insists that he did not enter the bout with any pre-existing injuries. A devastated McGregor described the situation as hell which put him in a dark place.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dominick Cruz: Conor McGregor returned at UFC 329 to 'save his own life'