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McGregor Suffers Devastating Injury as Long-Awaited UFC Return Is Cut Short

The former UFC champion says the injury came "out of nowhere" after his highly anticipated return ended less than two minutes into the fight.

Andrew PowellJul 12, 20262 min read

Conor McGregor Dana White U.S. News UFC

Conor McGregor's long-awaited return to the UFC lasted less than two minutes after an apparent knee injury forced the fight to be stopped during Saturday night's matchup with Max Holloway at UFC 329.

According to Fox News, McGregor entered the Octagon for his first fight in more than three years, but the comeback unraveled almost immediately.

The former two-division champion opened the bout with a flying left roundhouse kick before landing awkwardly on his right knee.

Moments later, he attempted another kick, slipped to the canvas, and continued fighting despite appearing to struggle with his right leg.

Less than two minutes into the opening round, McGregor grabbed at his leg again, prompting referee Mike Beltran to stop the contest.

After the fight, McGregor shared an emotional message on social media, saying the injury caught him completely off guard.

"My head gasket is gone," he wrote. "Destroyed. I had no injury / injuries going into the fight. I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere."

"I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell."

UFC president Dana White said there were no indications McGregor was dealing with an injury during fight week, including at Friday's weigh-ins.

"Five years off in this sport is rough," White said. "We're assuming a blown ACL. That's what I assumed when I saw it, and that's what the doctors think, too."

Holloway said he immediately realized something was wrong and urged the referee to stop the contest, even as McGregor wanted to continue.

"During the fight, you could see his demeanor change," Holloway said. "When I saw him hurt, I said, 'Call this, he's hurt.' I just hope for a speedy recovery."

Saturday marked McGregor's first appearance inside the Octagon since July 2021, when he suffered a severe leg injury during a loss to Dustin Poirier.

The Irish star entered the fight seeking his first victory since 2020 and hoping to reignite his career after years away from competition.

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Instead, the highly anticipated return ended almost as quickly as it began, leaving McGregor facing another lengthy recovery and raising fresh questions about when — or if — he will compete again.