​Conor McGregor said on Sunday that his right knee was fine before he injured it with the opening kick of his mixed martial arts showdown against Max Holloway, a bout that ended a five-year layoff for the Irish star. The fight ended quickly when McGregor, who had not competed since a broken left leg in 2021, was defeated in 69 seconds at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. He vowed to mount another comeback once he recovers from this latest setback.
McGregor’s injury occurred when he planted his right leg to execute a leaping roundhouse kick at the start of the bout, causing him to collapse to the mat for the first of three falls before the referee stopped the fight. After the loss, McGregor took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his thoughts, insisting that the notion he was off his game while walking to the cage was unfounded. He said he had been sharp, calm, ready, and confident—shocked by the turn of events that left him unable to continue.
The former featherweight and lightweight champion, who had not fought since suffering a broken left leg in 2021, asserted that his career was not over and that he would come back. “I will overcome this,” he posted. “I will not be deterred. I will return.” In a more cryptic note, McGregor described his knee injury as “my head gasket is gone. Destroyed,” implying torn knee ligaments, and added, “I had no injury 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.” He admitted that he was in a dark place, saying, “I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.”
Holloway, who earned a measure of triumph by defeating McGregor, even teased the possibility of a rematch, joking about making the Irish star “weak in the knees.” The victory also marked Holloway’s desire to face McGregor again whenever the opportunity arises. He had previously lost to McGregor in 2013, a fact he acknowledged with a touch of humor while expressing appreciation for the challenge. “Thank you Conor for fight. Took a lot to make that walk after these past few years,” Holloway posted on X, and he added, “Sending prayers for a speedy recovery.”
As the dust settles from this high-profile collision, the focus now shifts to McGregor’s rehabilitation and the path forward for his career. He has historically shown an ability to rebound from setbacks, and his supporters are hopeful that this latest injury will be a temporary interruption rather than a final chapter. The process of recovery will determine when and how he can return to the sport at a level that matches his past performances, and Holloway’s open invitation to a future rematch ensures the possibility of another high-stakes showdown between the two fighters when McGregor is ready to step back into the octagon.