Conor McGregor’s return to the UFC octagon concluded in the first round after he sustained a right knee injury during his bout against Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. The fight was stopped on Saturday night.
McGregor appeared to injure his knee while attempting a jump kick early in the fight. Following the injury, he slipped to the canvas, managed to stand briefly after some ground strikes from Holloway, but then fell again. After further strikes, he stumbled and shook his head, leading the referee to end the fight.
This marked McGregor’s first UFC bout since July 2021, when he suffered a leg injury in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier. His last win in the UFC was a 40-second stoppage of Donald Cerrone in January 2020.
Reactions from the UFC community
Several prominent figures in the UFC community reacted to the unexpected end of the fight. Paddy Pimblett, who secured a first-round submission victory over Benoît Saint Denis in UFC 329’s co-main event, commented on McGregor’s early finish. Pimblett expressed his ambition to become a leading figure in the organisation, stating, “Oh my God. McGregor’s done already. Well, he’s finished. The new boy is in town. The main man’s here. Know what I mean? I can become the face of the organization now.”
Holloway himself indicated that he urged the referee to stop the fight once it became clear McGregor could not continue due to his injury. Holloway expressed concern for McGregor, saying, “I’m just praying for the guy, all jokes aside, as a human being.” He also mentioned plans to discuss a potential future fight with McGregor once the Irishman recovers, adding, “It is what it is, I’m going to sit down with the UFC. [There was] so much hype for that right there. We’ve got to run it back one more time. One more time for the boys.”
Daniel Cormier, a former two-division UFC champion and current commentator, suggested that McGregor’s early kick attempt might have been influenced by the adrenaline of returning to the octagon after a five-year absence. Cormier noted, “You see these guys that have been gone for a long time do things that doesn’t make sense, and I think that’s that with Conor.” UFC fighter Brian Ortega also shared his thoughts on social media regarding the fight.
McGregor’s recent career and injury history
McGregor’s career has been affected by a series of injuries and issues outside of the sport. The recent knee injury follows a leg break against Dustin Poirier five years ago in the same arena. Two years ago, a broken toe led to the cancellation of a scheduled fight with Michael Chandler at the T-Mobile Arena.
In addition to physical setbacks, McGregor’s career has seen other challenges. Two years ago, a civil jury found him liable for rape, a verdict he denies and appealed unsuccessfully. He accepted an 18-month ban for “whereabouts failures” after missing three attempts by Combat Sports Anti-Doping to collect biological samples in 2024. This ban was backdated and expired in March.
The severity of McGregor’s current injury is not yet fully known, though commentary during the event speculated about a possible ACL issue, which could require a recovery period of six to 12 months. McGregor will turn 38 on Tuesday.
The bout on Saturday was the second time McGregor and Holloway had faced each other, with McGregor having won their first encounter by unanimous decision in 2013.
In the co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena, Paddy Pimblett secured a victory by choking out Benoit Saint-Denis in their lightweight bout.
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Source: bleacherreport.com
Harry Loxley is a Senior Football Correspondent at NewsGB.org. He spent his early career reporting East Midlands football. He focuses on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Derby and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Derby, he watches non-league and runs a fan podcast. “Good football writing follows the people, not just the points.”