The　moisture　content　and　damage　conditions　significantly　influenced　the　mechanical　properties　of　hard　rock,　which　are　closely　associated　with　rockburst　tendency.　However,　there　was　limited　prior　knowledge　of　this　issue　due　to　the　scarcity　of　physical　experiments.　In　this　study,　a　true　triaxial　experiment　with　a　free　face　was　conducted　on　granite　specimens　to　investigate　the　influence　of　the　initial　damage　and　moisture　content　on　rockburst　control,　utilizing　AE　monitoring,　rock　NMR　imaging,　and　photography　techniques.　Experimental　results　showed　that　with　the　increase　of　the　initial　damage　factor　k　and　moisture　content　ω,　the　rock　strength　and　AE　activity　decreased.　The　static　crack　extension　concentrated　around　the　initial　damage　zone,　and　the　dynamic　ejection　decreased,　leading　to　an　increase　in　the　fracture　surface　fracture　index.　When　k　and　ω　increased　to　a　certain　extent,　the　tensile　mechanism　was　significantly　reduced,　and　then　the　rockburst　was　efficiently　prevented.　The　failure　mechanism　lay　the　initial　damage　zone　weakened　the　strength　of　the　granite　matrix,　inducing　the　FPZ　nucleation　and　crack　extension.　Furthermore,　the　rockburst　envelope　of　the　granite　was　altered,　with　the　reduced　envelope　area　indicating　a　decrease　in　stored　energy,　resulting　in　the　granite　having　insufficient　energy　to　trigger　a　rockburst　upon　failure.　In　addition,　due　to　the　＇water　wedge＇　effect,　the　moisture　content　further　enhanced　the　weakening　effect　of　the　initial　damage　factor　on　rockburst　tendency.　©　2025