McGregor’s return cut short

By Priya Nair — 12 July 2026 — 3 min read

McGregor’s return cut short

Conor McGregor’s anticipated return to the UFC octagon at UFC 329 in Las Vegas concluded abruptly after just 69 seconds of the first round. The fight against Max Holloway was stopped due to a knee injury sustained by McGregor. This marked his first fight in over five years.

The incident occurred early in the bout when McGregor, who had not fought since 2021, attempted a flying left roundhouse kick. He landed awkwardly on his right knee, which appeared to buckle. Despite attempting to continue and strike Holloway a couple more times, it became evident that McGregor could not proceed with the scheduled five-round welterweight contest.

UFC CEO Dana White commented on the injury, stating, “I mean, I was expecting at least a one-round war. Who knew what Conor was capable of as far as cardio, whatever else, after a five-year layoff, and there you go. We’re assuming a blown ACL. I’m no doctor, but that’s what I figured when I saw it, and doctors think the same thing too.” After the fight, McGregor denied he had been injured in the runup to…

The fight was a rematch of a 2013 featherweight bout, which McGregor had won by unanimous decision. This time, Holloway secured a TKO victory, evening their rivalry. Holloway, who was fighting at welterweight for the first time, expressed disappointment with the abrupt ending, saying, “So much hype. We’ve got to run it back one more time. For it to end like this sucks.”

Reactions and career implications

The immediate aftermath saw McGregor limping out of the T-Mobile Arena, reportedly refusing crutches. His third successive defeat leaves him with only one win since 2016. Michael Bisping, Britain’s first UFC champion, suggested that a severe injury like a blown ACL, requiring a year or 18 months out, could effectively end McGregor’s career.

Paddy Pimblett, who secured a swift victory in the co-main event, reacted to McGregor’s early finish by declaring, “Oh my god, McGregor’s done already? He’s finished, the new boy is in town. I can become the face of the organisation now.” He added, “You could call that the changing of the guard, I can be the new face of MMA now. I just got a finish in 52 seconds on the biggest card of the year.”

McGregor, who last fought exactly five years and a day before Saturday night, had previously broken his left leg in a 2021 defeat to Dustin Poirier. Before that injury, he was considered the UFC’s most marketable star, notably becoming the first to hold two titles simultaneously at different weights in 2016. He also reportedly earned a significant sum for a boxing superfight against Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2017.

Despite his status, McGregor’s time away from the octagon has been marked by various controversies, including multiple lawsuits and an aborted run for the Irish presidency. A civil jury found him liable for sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin in December 2018, ordering him to pay damages. He lost his civil jury appeal in July 2025.

McGregor’s last UFC victory was a triumph over Donald Cerrone in January 2020.

Source: theguardian.com