The return of Conor McGregor came and went in the blink of an eye. After only 69 seconds at UFC 329, the former two-division champion succumbed to his second straight loss via brutal leg injury.
To begin his rematch with Max Holloway on Saturday night in Las Vegas, McGregor rushed to the center of the Octagon and threw a jumping switch kick. He missed the mark, then threw another head kick and awkwardly fell to the floor. At that point, something seemed off about the Irishman as Holloway pursued the finish and secured it shortly thereafter, with McGregor noticeably hobbling in pain.
It was McGregor's first appearance in five years, following a gnarly leg break in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. UFC CEO Dana White spoke to the media at UFC 329’s post-fight press conference and reacted to the disappointing conclusion to a card that broke the promotion’s record for highest-grossing gate.
"Everybody who knows anything about the fight business, it's been a big topic of discussion leading up to this fight: Five years off in this sport is rough," White said. "Great card. Unbelievable. The Paddy Pimblett thing right before. You just feel it all in the air. Here we go. I was expecting at least a one-round war. Who knew what Conor was capable of as far as cardio or whatever else after a five-year layoff? Well, there you go.
"We're ****** uming blown ACL. I'm not a doctor, but that's what I figured when I saw it, and doctors think the same thing too."
To begin his rematch with Max Holloway on Saturday night in Las Vegas, McGregor rushed to the center of the Octagon and threw a jumping switch kick. He missed the mark, then threw another head kick and awkwardly fell to the floor. At that point, something seemed off about the Irishman as Holloway pursued the finish and secured it shortly thereafter, with McGregor noticeably hobbling in pain.
It was McGregor's first appearance in five years, following a gnarly leg break in his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. UFC CEO Dana White spoke to the media at UFC 329’s post-fight press conference and reacted to the disappointing conclusion to a card that broke the promotion’s record for highest-grossing gate.
"Everybody who knows anything about the fight business, it's been a big topic of discussion leading up to this fight: Five years off in this sport is rough," White said. "Great card. Unbelievable. The Paddy Pimblett thing right before. You just feel it all in the air. Here we go. I was expecting at least a one-round war. Who knew what Conor was capable of as far as cardio or whatever else after a five-year layoff? Well, there you go.
"We're ****** uming blown ACL. I'm not a doctor, but that's what I figured when I saw it, and doctors think the same thing too."
3 months ago
