​Conor McGregor refused crutches as he limped away from the T-Mobile Arena, marking a disappointing ending to his comeback at UFC 329 on Saturday. After a five-year hiatus, the former two-division champion’s return ended in disappointment when he launched a jumping roundhouse kick to begin his fight with Max Holloway, only to appear to blow out his knee on a clumsy landing. Helped out of the octagon by his team, McGregor headed straight for the exit of the T-Mobile Arena to seek medical care.
During the UFC 329 post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White provided an update on McGregor’s condition as doctors prepared to determine the full extent of the injuries sustained in the bout. “Five years off in this sport is rough,” White acknowledged. “I was expecting at least a one-round war or who knows what Conor was capable of in terms of cardio or whatever else after a five-year layoff. There you go. We’re assuming a blown ACL. I’m no doctor, but that’s what I figured when I saw it, and the doctors think the same thing, too.”
History echoes in McGregor’s recent setbacks. He had previously torn his ACL in his first fight against Holloway back in 2013, though he made a remarkably swift recovery to return to competition. Now approaching 38, McGregor’s latest setback involves a serious knee injury—that same knee that has carried him through some of his fiercest battles, including the left leg fracture he suffered in the Poirier trilogy in 2021. White made clear he did not want to speculate about the injury or McGregor’s immediate future, stressing that more information would come once McGregor underwent hospital testing.
“We’ll find out when he gets an MRI,” White said. Until the MRI results are in, the full scope of McGregor’s injuries remains uncertain, and his fighting future sits in limbo. The timeline for his return could stretch to a year or more, depending on whether the injury is an ACL tear or something more severe. The possibility of a protracted absence looms, and it raises questions about whether McGregor will ever step back into the Octagon again.
McGregor’s five-year layoff had set the stage for a potential resurgence, but the 29th installment of UFC 329 delivered another setback instead. The match with Holloway served as his first appearance since his dramatic return, but the outcome is overshadowed by the injury that may determine whether he can resume competing at the highest level. As White noted, the next steps hinge on medical evaluations, including an MRI, which will reveal the precise damage and guide the plan for treatment and rehabilitation.
In the wake of the event, fans and pundits alike are left pondering McGregor’s trajectory. Will the Irish superstar recover swiftly and chase another comeback, or will the knee injury force an extended pause that tests the durability of his storied career? The answer lies in the medical reports to come, and until those results are disclosed, McGregor’s immediate future remains in flux while his legacy continues to fuel the ongoing dialogue around one of MMA’s most compelling figures.