​One of the few people who didn’t seem too shaken by how the Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway matchup at UFC 329 played out was Max Holloway himself. It appeared that McGregor hurt his knee in the opening exchange, launching a wild jumping switch kick that missed and buckled his knee within seconds of the first round. After two additional slips and a tumble, the referee stopped the bout, marking one of the most disappointing moments in UFC main-event history for many fans (you can catch the highlights here).
Holloway didn’t seem bothered by the turn of events—and why would he be? He walked away with more money than ever before for a one-minute performance. There wasn’t a heated war, no sustained damage, just a win on his record and a payday in his bank account. In the days following the event, Holloway spoke with Megan Olivi on the Paramount+ YouTube channel about the unusual finish and what it meant to him.
“A win is a win, you know?” Holloway said. “A couple of guys have beaten me that kind of pisses me off. But at the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, they’re going to go down in the history books. They’ll just see a W next to their name. So that’s how I’m taking it.” He added, “I had him weak in the knees. What can I say? At the end of the day, it is what it is. We’ve got to do a rematch. Hopefully his injury isn’t too serious. He mentioned wanting to be back in April. I can make that work. It’d be fun. I want to actually feel this 170-pound weight and the power he talks about. Maybe we can run it back.”
“I’m praying for the guy, seriously,” he continued, emphasizing his humanity. “All jokes aside, as a person.” Holloway revealed that McGregor had initially insisted the fight not be stopped despite the injury.
“When I was in there, you could see me telling the ref, ‘Dude, this guy is finished. Stop it.’ The ref thanked me afterward because that was a tough spot. And Conor was like, ‘Fight! Fight!’ I thought, ‘You’re crazy, man.’ It was clear from the start that the moment McGregor first hit the canvas and then fell again, his demeanor shifted. I could tell—just call the fight now.’”
Despite the lingering questions about McGregor’s next move, it’s still early to chart his path. At the UFC 329 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White ruled out a third meeting with Holloway, effectively closing that potential chapter for now. For Holloway, this marked a comfortable exit on the night with a win and a sizable payday, reinforcing his stance that a victory, even under unconventional circumstances, still counts—placing him firmly in the conversation about the era’s top lightweight contenders.
As the dust settles, fans will likely revisit the moment and debate the implications. Holloway’s pragmatic outlook—recognizing the win on paper while still leaving the door open for a high-profile rematch—resonates with many who follow the sport closely. With McGregor’s immediate future uncertain and Holloway continuing to chart a course at the top of the division, the UFC landscape after UFC 329 reflects a mix of surprise results, strategic negotiations, and the ongoing appeal of what a well-timed victory, even a brief one, can do for a fighter’s legacy and earnings.