Las Vegas: McGregor suffers leg injury in UFC 329 return against Holloway
Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 329 in Las Vegas concluded abruptly, lasting just over a minute. The Irish fighter sustained a leg injury during the opening round of his bout against Max Holloway, leading to the fight’s stoppage.
McGregor, a former two-weight world champion, had not competed since a leg injury in July 2021. He initiated the fight with a flying kick but landed awkwardly, immediately appearing to be in distress. Despite attempting to continue for a few seconds, he signalled to the referee that he was unable to proceed.
Bout Details and Injury Concerns
The fight was called off just 69 seconds into the first round. UFC CEO Dana White commented on the situation, stating that while the specifics of McGregor’s injury were unknown, a blown ACL was assumed by the company’s doctors, pending an MRI. White also expressed belief that McGregor did not enter the fight with a pre-existing injury, suggesting that any such injury would have been noticed.
McGregor left the arena without speaking to reporters, with the UFC confirming he would not provide comments that night. He was observed limping barefoot and shirtless outside the arena, heading towards a parking lot.
This marked the second encounter between McGregor and Holloway, with McGregor having secured a unanimous decision victory in their previous fight in 2013.
Holloway, a former featherweight champion, expressed his willingness to discuss a potential rematch with McGregor once the Irishman recovers. He stated, “It is what it is, I’m going to sit down with the UFC. [There was] so much hype for that right there. We’ve got to run it back one more time. One more time for the boys.”
McGregor’s Recent Career Challenges
McGregor’s career has faced various setbacks, including injuries and issues outside of the sport. Following his leg injury against Dustin Poirier five years prior, he was scheduled to face Michael Chandler in June 2024, but this fight was cancelled due to McGregor suffering a broken toe during training.
In 2024, an Irish civil court jury found McGregor liable for the rape of Nikita Hand in 2018, ordering him to pay over $250,000. McGregor has maintained his innocence, and he was not criminally prosecuted, as prosecutors in Ireland determined they could not secure a conviction based on the standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Additionally, in October 2025, McGregor accepted an 18-month ban for “whereabouts failures” after missing three attempts by Combat Sports Anti-Doping to collect biological samples in 2024. This ban was backdated and concluded in March.
The recent disappointment adds to a series of challenges in McGregor’s public life since his championship period, which concluded with a loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
The Paramount+ broadcast partner shared a slowed image on social media showing McGregor awkwardly balancing as he removed his sandals after his ring walk, while Holloway appeared focused and composed.
White acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding McGregor’s future, stating, “There are a lot of unanswered questions right now. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
In a separate event at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, Britain’s Paddy Pimblett secured a victory in under a minute, defeating Frenchman Benoit Saint-Denis in their lightweight bout by choke.
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Source: aljazeera.com
Amelia Stockwell is a Sports Reporter at News GB. She covered two Commonwealth Games for a national outlet. She focuses on tennis, cricket and athletics and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of York and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in York, she runs with a local club and follows county cricket. “The quiet stories often matter most by the end of the season.”
