Khabib Nurmagomedov has a theory about why Conor McGregor broke his leg during his defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in Las Vegas.

McGregor suffered a horrifying injury after his leg snapped during the first round of his highly-anticipated rematch with Poirier on Saturday night. 

The Irishman was bidding for revenge after losing the fifth fight of his UFC career when he was knocked out by his American rival in January. 

But after enduring a torrid start to the trilogy fight, his leg broke as he aimed a kick at the former UFC interim lightweight champion, forcing a premature end to the much-hyped clash in Las Vegas.

Conor McGregor is carried out of the cage on a stretcher

Fears that McGregor, 32, could be forced to retire were swiftly allayed when his agent Audie Attar of Paradigm Sports released a statement confirming that the Irish fighter has successfully undergone surgery to his injured ankle and is expected to make a full recovery. 

"Conor is in recovery after 3 hours of surgery," it read. "The surgery was successful repairing fractures of his tibia and fibula.

"His physicians included Dr Neal El Attrache from Kerlan-Jobbe, Conor's long time orthopedist, and trauma surgeon Dr Milton Little from Cedars-Sinai. 

"Both doctors are confident that with time he will make a full recovery. 

"We anticipate his return to the Octagon."

McGregor later tweeted: "Just out of the surgery room guys! Surgery went excellent! Feeling tremendous! 6 weeks on crutch and we build back! Let’s go! God bless."

McGregor may have been carried out of the T-Mobile Arena on a stretcher, but Nurmagomedov had no sympathy for The Notorious One.

After McGregor landed awkwardly on his ankle at the end of the first round, Nurmagomedov seemed to imply that it was retribution for insulting Poirier's wife Jolie in the build-up to the bout.

“[There’s] always [going to] be there something superior – more powerful – than we have,” Nurmagomedov said to MMA Junkie. “Sometimes when people become, ‘I’m this, I can do this. I’m smart because I’m strong.’

"God always going to make you humble. I saw yesterday or two days ago,

"I saw his coach’s interview like, ‘I don’t understand how this happened. He’s a strong young, strong man and he broke his foot, I don’t understand.’

"Everything from God. You have to become humble.

"When you become rich, when you become strong, when you become famous and then you think this is because of myself? God going to make you humble.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov punches Conor McGregor

Nurmagomedov also addressed Poirier's victory over McGregor and believes that he should be next in line for a shot at Charles Oliveira's lightweight title.  

“I really enjoy this fight," he added. "I’m really happy with Dustin Poirier.

"I think he deserve title shot, and I think he deserve to be UFC lightweight champion right now.”

Read more: Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals he turned down Georges St-Pierre fight offer