Conor McGregor‘s anticipated return to the octagon concluded abruptly on Saturday in Las Vegas, lasting just over a minute. The Irishman sustained a knee injury during his UFC 329 bout against Max Holloway, leading to his retirement from the fight.
The former two-weight world champion had been absent from competition for five years, following a leg break against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. In the opening round against Holloway, McGregor attempted a flying kick but landed awkwardly, immediately appearing to be in distress. Despite trying to continue for a few seconds, he signalled to the referee that he could not proceed.
Max Holloway, a former featherweight champion, expressed his willingness to discuss a potential rematch with McGregor once he recovers. Holloway stated he would sit down with the UFC, acknowledging the significant anticipation for their recent fight and suggesting a need for another encounter.
Injury and career setbacks
McGregor’s career has faced multiple disruptions due to injuries and other issues outside the sport. After his leg break five years ago, he was scheduled to face Michael Chandler in June 2024, but this fight was cancelled after McGregor suffered a broken toe during training.
Later in 2024, an Irish civil court jury found McGregor liable for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018. He appealed this verdict but was unsuccessful, and he continues to deny the allegations. Additionally, in October 2025, McGregor 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.
McGregor broke his silence following the UFC 329 injury, describing the experience as “hell.” He stated that he had no injuries leading into the fight and had been performing kicks, planting, and jumping throughout his training camp and backstage before the bout. He described the injury as coming “out of nowhere.”
The UFC 329 broadcast reportedly showed McGregor favouring his knee as he prepared to enter the octagon. However, McGregor’s statement contradicts any suggestions that he was already injured prior to the fight, indicating the injury was a sudden occurrence.
While McGregor did not provide specific details about his current injury, UFC doctors have suggested he may have suffered a torn ACL in his knee. Further testing will be required to determine the full extent of the damage. McGregor has previously experienced a torn ACL in his left knee during his first fight against Holloway in 2013, which required surgical repair. He returned to competition 11 months after that surgery.
Future prospects
The recent bout marked the second time McGregor and Holloway have faced each other, with McGregor having won their first encounter by unanimous decision in 2013. The referee stopped the fight at T-Mobile Arena after McGregor stumbled and shook his head, having absorbed strikes from Holloway.
The specifics of McGregor’s current knee injury are still unclear, though commentator Joe Rogan suggested it might be an ACL issue. An ACL injury can typically take between six and 12 months to heal, which could mean McGregor might not be able to train effectively until next July, potentially delaying his return to fighting until next autumn.
Before UFC 329, McGregor had mentioned having contract dates for future fights, including one for 11 July and another for April 2027. However, given his recent injury, it remains uncertain when, or if, he will fight again. His rematch with Holloway was his first fight since both his leg and toe injuries, as well as since the civil jury verdict regarding the rape allegations and his drug-test ban.
In the co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena, Britain’s Paddy Pimblett also secured a swift victory, defeating Benoit Saint-Denis via D’arce choke in less than a minute.
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Source: aljazeera.com
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Charlie Bradshaw is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with ten years of reporting experience. He covered Merseyside football before going national. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Liverpool John Moores University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Liverpool, he watches non-league sides and collects old match programmes. “The back page is only ever half the story.”