McGregor Suffers Knee Injury in UFC 329 Return, Vows to Come Back

Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to competition ended almost before it began on Saturday, July 11, when the Irish superstar blew out his knee just moments into his UFC 329 bout against Max Holloway — his first octagon appearance in five years.

The injury occurred on the very first strike of the fight. McGregor attempted a jumping switch kick that missed, and as he landed and planted on his right leg, the knee gave way. The moment brought an abrupt and painful end to a comeback that had been years in the making.

In the aftermath, McGregor pushed back against suggestions that he had appeared off or out of sorts during his walk-out leading into the fight. He also made clear that the injury would not mark the end of his career, stating plainly that he intends to return.

McGregor had not competed since suffering a gruesome leg fracture in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, and anticipation surrounding his comeback had been enormous. The matchup with Holloway — a former featherweight champion and one of the sport’s most accomplished fighters — was viewed as a genuine test of where McGregor stood after such a lengthy layoff. Unfortunately, fans never got to find out, as the fight was over in an instant.

How long McGregor will be sidelined following this latest knee injury remains to be seen, but the former two-division UFC champion has made his intentions clear: he plans to fight again.