​Jake Paul wasted little time weighing in on Conor McGregor’s disastrous UFC comeback. Within hours of UFC 329 ending, the YouTuber-turned-boxer posted several videos parodying the injury that forced McGregor’s fight against Max Holloway to be halted after just 69 seconds. In one clip shared to X, Paul seemed to recreate the moment McGregor’s knee collapsed by kicking his leg twice, clutching it in mock agony, and falling backward into a swimming pool. He captioned the post, “UFC highlights from tonight.”
Paul followed with another similar clip on Instagram, writing, “Recap for those who didn’t watch,” as he again imitated McGregor’s awkward collapse before tumbling into the water. The videos drew swift online attention, prompting fans to debate whether Paul had crossed a line by mocking a fighter who might have suffered a serious injury.
Despite the trolling, Paul later appeared to soften his stance. In a separate post on X, the boxer offered a far more sympathetic message to McGregor and his family: “Prayers for you and your family.” The note stood in stark contrast to his earlier posts and differed markedly from the reaction of his brother, Logan Paul. While Jake eventually expressed support for the former UFC champion, Logan continued to criticize McGregor after revealing he had won $30,000 betting on Max Holloway. The elder Paul brother called McGregor’s performance “pathetic” and even used the moment to challenge him to a boxing match, which drew backlash from many fans who accused him of celebrating another athlete’s injury.
The injury marked another painful chapter in McGregor’s comeback bid. The former two-division UFC champion had not fought since suffering a broken leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, making UFC 329 one of the most highly anticipated bouts of his career. After his knee buckled during an exchange with Holloway, referee Mike Beltran waved off the fight, awarding Holloway a technical knockout victory. UFC President Dana White later indicated doctors believe McGregor may have torn his ACL. “My head gasket is gone,” McGregor wrote on X while addressing fans after the fight. “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.”
Although clearly devastated by the result, McGregor insisted his fighting career was far from over. “I will overcome this,” he wrote. “I will not be deterred. I will return.” Max Holloway, for his part, couldn’t resist a light-hearted jab after the dramatic finish, though he emphasized sportsmanship in the aftermath. He spoke to reporters following his victory, keeping the tone competitive but respectful as the MMA world digested the turn of events.